The Mockingjay's Song
by gleefullyvictorious
Summary: Hercules and Meg are young parents living in District Twelve when they are reaped for Disney's first Hunger Games. They now are in the fight of their lives against some of Disney's fiercest warriors. How will they survive? Who will live...and who will die? Rewriting of The Hunger Games trilogy with Disney characters. Will include characters from many, MANY Disney movies/sequels.
1. Chapter 1

**Okay, author's note! So this actually stemmed from a conversation my friend and I had about what Disney character would win the Hunger Games. Me being me, I had to write it out. I ended up writing the whole trilogy with my set of characters, including Mockingjay, and just felt like it would be a shame to just keep it on my phone. So I'm posting it here so you can all enjoy it!**

**I took it in a different direction, since I feel that the whole 'do they/don't they' love thing in THG is boring. So this version asks, what if teen parents were reaped? That's a whole other level of wrong when it comes to these Games! **

**I also tried to make this different from the way other Disney/Hunger Games fics are set up. I'm staying in the POV of Meg, since trying to skip around to 24 different characters and mindsets is exhausting. But I will not be skipping the interviews, trainings or Tribute Parade, so even if you aren't a Herc and Meg fan you'll get to hear plenty from your favorite character! And if your favorite isn't included here, there's a strong chance they'll be in the second or third installment, so press on! If there's a character you're reading for, drop a review and I'll tell you if you ****can expect them!**

**So since I've already written this whole thing, I'll update regularly. Right now I'm gonna say expect an update every Tuesday and Thursday. When I've finished posting the equivalent of the first book, I'll make a new story for the second and for the third. **

**I hope you guys enjoy! Please send me a review. **

Many years ago, the people in the land of Disney were able to live their lives in peace and happiness. They were ruled by a benevolent mouse, who loved his people and wanted them always to be happy.

But then a dark shadow fell over the land. An evil group of people, the most villainous, decided to overthrow the mouse. The people of Disney could only watch helplessly as their leader was killed in front of them. The new leader, President Jafar Ababwa, sent out his minions to every corner of the land, forcing the land into districts. People he favored were sent to the Capitol or to District One, the district of luxury. Everyone else was scattered to the winds, just barely managing to stay with their loved ones.

The district furthest away, the Pixar district (full of the people who were a bit more developed than the rest) rose up and convinced everyone to join them in a rebellion. Led by Queen Elsa, they charged the forces of evil. Sadly they were not successful, and the Pixar district was razed to the ground. Brave Queen Elsa was executed by Head Peacekeeper Hans Westergard, and the people of Disney slowly trudged back to their homes.

It had been five years since the rebellion, and President Jafar had taken no action regarding the rebellion. But that was about to change...

••••

District Twelve was a sad, abandoned kind of place. Its people had been forgotten by time, glossed over and pushed aside to make way for those considered more promising. The residents didn't quite mind. As long as they were allowed to live their lives, it didn't matter to them how they were thought of. As the district in charge of mining, they lived a simple life. People were born, raised, married by simply toasting a small piece of bread and wearing a borrowed white dress, and raised their children in the same way. Of course, it had only been seven years since King Mickey had been killed, and five since Queen Elsa, so every resident still remembered the life they had before the villains took over.

Well, almost every resident.

"Hebe, you are such a messy girl!" Meg cooed as she wiped mashed apples off of her daughter's chin. The baby gurgled in response and Meg smiled, putting her hands on her hips. "You love giving me a hard time, don't cha?" she said sarcastically. Hebe laughed at her mother's expression. The woman laughed and lifted her daughter out of her high chair, bouncing her on her hip. "C'mon, let's go wait on the porch for daddy."

Meg stepped out of her tiny house and looked around. It was gray as always. Everything was gray now. She sighed. She missed the sun so much. She sat on the rickety chair Hercules had made for them and bounced Hebe absentmindedly in her lap. She wished more than anything that they could go back to the way things were. Back when King Mickey was in charge...Meg sighed and pushed a lock of hair out of her face, waiting to see her husband trudge wearily down the path.

She had known Hercules since she was a little girl. They had always been friends, and when the rebellion had occurred, he'd run off to join them, a boy of thirteen. That was when she knew she loved him. Hercules had come back and been whipped in front of the whole district for his actions-that whipping had changed him. He was the same loving man, but his passion was gone. He followed the rules now. They all did. It was the only way you ensured the survival of the ones you cared about around here. People like Hebe.

They had been married for two years now, the two best years since the takeover. Meg smiled as she remembered Herc's stuttering as they read their vows and did the toasting ceremony. Not long after they married, Meg became pregnant with Hebe. If they hadn't needed a reason to be inconspicuous before, they definitely had one now. Hercules was no longer the town hero, the one everyone could turn to. He gave it up to protect his family, and Meg loved him even more because of it.

"Not here yet?" a warm voice said. Meg turned and smiled at the sight of Alcmene, Herc's mother. "No, not yet," she said with a little sigh. Hercules' parents had lived with them ever since the takeover, and she was glad they did. They were too old to be living alone in this area and honestly Meg was grateful for the company while Hercules was working. Alcmene smiled at Meg. "I'm going to make some soup for dinner, all right?" she asked. Meg nodded, knowing that likely all they had was water, a few vegetables and some bones anyhow. Might as well put it into a soup that could at least last a few days. "That sounds wonderful," she said.

Hebe began reaching for something, making Meg turn. Hercules was trudging down the path, looking worn out and covered in soot. Meg smiled and stood to greet him. "You're back," she said happily. Hercules nodded, forcing himself to put on a smile even though his body was aching. "I'm back," he replied, kissing her tenderly. "And how is my beautiful goddess today?" Hebe was giggling and reaching for her father. Hercules took her from Meg and held her close to him, placing a gentle kiss on her cheek. Meg smiled at him. He was such a wonderful father. Although their life wasn't perfect, she wouldn't trade her family for all the freedom President Jafar could offer.

••••

Their dinner table that night was livelier than usual. Hebe was happy and making everyone smile, just with her energy. "All right, little lady, time to calm down," Meg said after the tiny girl had tried to use Alcmene's knife as a rattle. She picked up the girl and placed her on her hip. Amphitryon began to clear the table when they heard a loud banging on the door.

Instantly their happiness was replaced with fear. For a second, no one moved. "I'll get it," Meg finally said quietly. "Meg, no, stay here-" Hercules began, standing, but Meg had already turned the knob. Standing in the door was Head Peacekeeper Ares.

The Peacekeepers were the ones they lived their lives in fear of. It had been a Peacekeeper who had whipped Hercules within an inch of his life when he was a boy. The militia of the President and the Mayor, they were used to incite fear and terrorize people into submission. A Peacekeeper at your door was never a good sign. Meg clutched Hebe tighter to her. "Can I help you?" she asked.

Ares' face revealed no emotion. "Is this the home of Hercules and Megara Kalagaris?" he barked. She nodded, feeling her heart leap into her throat. "Why are you here? We've done nothing wrong," she replied fearfully. Hercules had come to the door and put an arm protectively around Meg. Ares was unmoved. "The President is addressing the country tomorrow. Citizens are to gather in the square. Everyone must be in attendance-no exceptions," he said, glaring at Hebe.

"What is this address about?" Amphitryon asked from inside the house. Ares snarled at the question. "I wouldn't want to be one of you," he growled before he left in a huff. They all looked at each other worriedly. Any address from the President couldn't be good news. Hercules pulled Meg and Hebe into a tight hug. Amphitryon shuffled over to his wife and kissed her cheek, everyone easing their worries with the feel of a loved one.

••••

The next morning, the whole household woke up early in order to make it to the square. Hebe was fussing as a bleary eyed Hercules tried to feed her. "Princess, I know it's early, but please eat," he begged. Suddenly he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Not eating?" Meg asked with a smile.

"You guessed it," Hercules said with a sigh. "If she doesn't want to eat, don't force her."

"If she cries during the address-"

"She can cry during the address. I know I will."

"Meg, they could hurt her!"

"And if we're late, they'll whip us all." Hercules sighed, knowing he was beaten. Meg kissed his cheek. "Hey, Wonderboy, don't look so down," she told him gently. "For all we know, this address could be nothing."

He nodded, lost in thought. "All right," he sighed as he turned back to Hebe. "You got lucky, you little stinker," he said with a goofy smile on his face. Hebe burst out into peals of infant laughter.

••••

The square slowly filled with townspeople, most dirty and sad eyed. Hercules helped his parents shuffle along while Meg held Hebe. Thankfully, the infant wasn't screaming or fussing. They slipped in quietly. "Meg!" Eilonwy, another District 12 citizen, bounced over to her. Meg smiled politely at the younger girl. "Hello," she said, hefting Hebe onto her hip and giving her a small hug. "This is quite upsetting, isn't it? News from that awful man can't be good news!" she fretted. "It doesn't have to be good news, as long as it doesn't affect me or my family," Meg said curtly. Eilonwy looked a little sad at Meg's statement and was about to reply when the Mayor came onto the stage.

Mayor Hades was a greasy looking man, pompous and overfed. One of the villainous people who had helped to overthrow Mickey, Hades was given control of this district as an afterthought. It was well known that he hated it here, but he did enjoy it more than he did his other job-he used to be The Lord of the Dead until he'd trapped his brother, Zeus, into doing the job. It was a sensitive subject for the Kalagarises, especially since Zeus was Hercules' birth father and he'd died in the process. Their mayor had no great love for her family.

Hades ran a hand through his flaming hair. "Citizens of District 12," he began. "Many of you recall that horrible day when some...shall we say...troublemakers decided to rebel against our beloved President. He was merciful then, but the time has come for you all to pay the price for your crimes." Meg and Hercules looked at each other worriedly. They knew that Hercules was in great danger, since he had fought against Jafar in that same rebellion as a teenager.

The mayor turned on the giant screens on either side of the stage, and suddenly Jafar's grim face stared at them all. "Citizens of Disney," he began. "I consider myself a benevolent ruler." Benevolent? That was laughable. If she hadn't been surrounded by peacekeepers, Meg would have laughed. "But you rebelled against me, and I have spent the last five years trying to figure out how best to punish you. After many long years, I know." The entire square fell silent, holding their breath in anticipation of his words.

"One man and one woman from each District will be chosen to participate in a fight to the death," he said, his eyes narrowing into a wicked grin. Meg gasped. A fight to the death? That was...well, barbaric! President Jafar continued to speak. "These people will be between the ages of 12 and 18." This next announcement made many older people begin to cry. A fight to the death involving innocent children? Hercules drew Meg closer to him, and they both held onto Hebe. Neither of them spoke, but they were both worried.

"We will choose these...tributes tomorrow. A representative from the Capitol will come to your district and choose the names in a public Reaping. If you relish the idea of a fight, you may volunteer as tribute for your district. Each pair of tributes will be assigned a trainer to help them learn survival skills and an escort to help them be on time to the various events in the Capitol preceding the games. Since I am a merciful ruler, there will be a winner. The last survivor will be bathed in riches and given a comfortable life for them and their family. May the odds be ever in your favor," he said, chuckling evilly.

Just like that, the transmission ended. Meg held Hebe more tightly than she ever had before as Hades began to speak again. "Okay, if you're between the ages of 12 and 18 you must be present at the Reaping tomorrow and you must look presentable. You're all going to be on TV, so that the nice people in the Capitol can see you be chosen. This whole thing is gonna be televised!" he said with a chuckle. The square was deathly silent. Next to Meg, Eilonwy was shaking with fear. Her boyfriend Taran tried to calm her but it didn't seem to be working. Meg took Hercules' arm. "Let's go," she murmured. He nodded and they joined the crowds filing out of the square.

••••

"Hebe, please eat," Meg said quietly. After some more coaxing, the little girl finally allowed her mother to feed her. The table was mostly silent. "I can't believe this crazy thing," Amohitryon muttered. Alcmene was close to tears. She put a hand on her son's cheek. "Oh, my sweet boy," she said, hugging Hercules tightly. Meg understood her concern: she and Hercules were among those required to attend the Reaping. She was 17 and he was 18, and there were many younger children, so there was a good chance that they would be spared.

Hercules put a hand to his head. "I just don't understand why he would do this," he said tiredly. "Why the children?"

"Hurting innocents is wrong, but it's the way to break people," Meg replied as she cleaned her daughter's face. "You stopped rebelling when Hebe was born. Just think how subservient people will be when there's a chance their children will be sent to die. I mean, imagine if Hebe was old enough to be Reaped." Hercules shuddered and walked over to his little girl, holding her tightly in his arms. "I don't want to imagine that," he said as he showered his daughter with kisses. Meg smiled at her husband's gentle nature. Alcmene looked saddened. "Well, I wish I hadn't lived to see this day," she said softly. "Such unhappiness." The little family fell silent until Meg spoke up. "Well, I think it's time this little lady went to bed," she said, taking Hebe from Hercules.

The little house didn't have much space, only two rooms (one of them a washroom) and a tiny kitchen, so they all shared the largest room for sleeping. Hebe's crib was in the corner closest to the window, so that she could see the moon and the daylight could warm her face. Hercules and Meg slept on a mattress next to her crib, leaving Amphitryon and Alcmene the small bed. It wasn't much, especially compared to where they all used to live during Mickey, but it was enough for them to get by. Meg laid Hebe down into her little crib gently. "Good night, sweetheart," she whispered, kissing her daughter's forehead and watching as her little eyelids slowly fluttered closed. "Sleep well, angel."

She hoped Hebe did sleep well. Tomorrow would be a day full of stress for all of them.


	2. Chapter 2

**MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY HOLIDAYS! :D As a present, I'm posting two chapters today. Yay for Christmas twofers! **

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own THG plot or the characters. (I'll take partial credit for Hebe, since she was only a planned character for the Hercules sequel.)**

**Enjoy!**

The next day hardly anyone spoke as they all got ready for the Reaping. Meg woke up early to go collect extra water for the washbasin, remembering the good days when they used to have running water. She had already scrubbed herself clean by the time Hercules woke up. "Good morning," she said with a small smile. He mumbled a response, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. Meg went over to the chest that contained all of their clothes. Most everything they wore was gray these days-Hercules wore gray, ripped shirts and faded jeans when he went to work in the mines, and Megara generally spent her days in shift dresses she and Alcmene had fashioned out of scraps of old fabric or sheets. But today none of that would do. Meg rummaged around in the trunk to find the one outfit they had each been permitted to keep after the takeover. She shook out the clothes, laid Hercules' out, and looked at her dress.

It looked just as she remembered it: her favorite shade of purple, those thick straps with buckles of gold attached, the dark purple sash tied around the waist and the layers of skirt that you could get lost in. She loved this dress. It was the dress she had worn when she married Hercules, the dress she'd worn for so much. It was so important to her. She slid it over her head and delighted in the feeling of it around her again.

Hercules came out of the washroom, an old blanket wrapped around his waist, and smiled at the sight of his clothing. "My hero clothes," he said sadly. She kissed him on the cheek. "You look handsome in them," She told him with a smirk. He laughed as he put on the brown outfit and fastened the gold belt with his father's symbol on it. Meg picked up his blue cape and fastened it to his shoulders. "You look beautiful, honey," he said softly, wrapping his arms around her waist. She smiled and kissed him tenderly. No matter what happened, they still had each other. That would never change, no matter what.

The sound of crying interrupted their tender moment and Meg smiled. "I'll go get Hebe ready," she said softly. Hercules watched her go, praying to the gods that his family would be spared today.

••••

"Give me your hand," a Peacekeeper said to Hercules. He did so, and she pricked his finger to get some of his blood. Meg instinctively held Hebe closer. That would hurt her baby, and she wouldn't have that. "Give me your hand," the same Peacekeeper instructed Meg. She did so, barely even feeling the pinch. "The child has to go with the others," another Peacekeeper said bluntly. "What others?" Meg asked incredulously. "She's my daughter. She'll stay with me."

The Peacekeeper's eyes narrowed and he grabbed Meg's arm tightly. "The child will go with the others," he growled. Hercules tried to go over and help Meg, but three other Peacekeepers were keeping him from the area. "Men on this side," one said, shoving Hercules the other way. "Meg!" he called out as he was pushed into place. "The child is not allowed in the Reaping area. She will go with the others, now!" the Peacekeeper barked. "Like hell she will!" Meg snapped, holding Hebe out of reach of the Peacekeepers. Head Peacekeeper Ares stomped over. "Give the child to me," he ordered. Meg glared at him. "No," she said firmly.

Alcmene came hurrying over and gently took Hebe from Meg's arms. "I'll keep her here with me, dear," she said soothingly. "We'll see you after the Reaping." Meg nodded and showered her daughter with kisses as Alcmene took her away. When she turned back around, Ares hit her so hard that she fell to the ground. Hercules began knocking over people in an attempt to reach Meg. "Get into place," Ares snarled at her as two other Peacekeepers shoved her roughly into a spot in the rows and rows of females.

The general murmuring died down as a woman who was clearly from the Capitol came up to speak. She had unnaturally pale skin, bright red lips, and hair as black as coal. She wore a blue and gold dress with a red cape, much more vibrant than anything they wore in District Twelve. "Hello!" she chirped in a high pitched voice. "I'm Snow White, and I am the District Twelve escort for these Hunger Games. I would also like to introduce the trainer for the lucky tributes, Philoctetes!" A gruff satyr clopped onstage, looking utterly defeated. Snow White didn't let it faze her and continued to speak cheerfully.

"It is now time to select one courageous young man and woman for the honor of representing District Twelve in the 1st Annual Hunger Games!" This was to be annual? Cold fear struck Meg's heart. If this was annual, her own daughter would someday be standing where she was. Snow White walked over to where two large clear bowls filled with names were sitting. "Ladies first, shall we?" she said with a grin as she plunged her hand into the bowl. She hovered for what seemed like an eternity before selecting a name. The walk back to the microphone might have taken just seconds, but it felt like years. The square was completely silent as Meg hoped that her friends would be spared. Especially Eilonwy, she was so young. Snow White unfolded the paper.

"Megara Kalagaris!"

It took Meg a few moments to realize that her name was the name that had been called. The people around her moved, and suddenly she had no one around her. "Come on up, dear," Snow White said encouragingly. Mag forced herself to begin walking towards the stage. In those moments, all she could think about was her daughter. Would she ever see Hebe again? She wanted so badly to turn around and take her in her arms, to tell her how much her mother loved her one last time. Then she heard Hebe's tiny voice over the silence. "Mama!"

Meg turned around instantly and began walking towards Hebe. The peacekeepers stopped her. "No, please, that's my daughter, she called for me, please, you have to let me see her," she begged, her eyes running over with tears. The peacekeepers kept pushing her towards the stage as Hebe continued to call for her. She became more distressed with each cry. "Hebe, it's okay, baby, mommy loves you, okay?" Meg called back, trying to calm her daughter down from so far away. She made it to the stage and Snow White pulled her up happily.

She shoved a microphone into Meg's face. "Who is Hebe, dear?" she asked, smiling for the cameras that were capturing the whole thing. "My daughter," Meg answered in a voice that didn't sound like her own. At least Hercules would still be here to take care of her. "How touching!" Snow White gushed, going over to the boy's bowl. Before she could draw out a name, they heard a loud voice. "I volunteer as tribute!" Everyone gasped. Meg's eyes widened. "Hercules, no!" she cried out.

As if he hadn't heard her, Hercules strode up to the front. "Hercules, what are you doing?" Meg whispered. "I'm not letting you do this alone, Meg," he whispered back. "I can't lose you."

"And Hebe can't lose both of us!"

"She won't."

Snow White, oblivious to the conversation, beamed at the two of them. "What is your name?" she asked. "Hercules Kalagaris," he replied resolutely, folding his enormous arms over his chest. She smiled happily and turned to the microphone again. "Our tributes from District Twelve! Go on, you two, shake hands." They both turned to face each other, overwhelmed with the thought of losing each other in these games.

Rather than shake hands, they ran into each other's arms and kissed passionately. "My goodness!" Snow White exclaimed with a giggle. They finally broke apart and Snow White thrust the microphone into their faces. "I take it you've met before?" she asked. "She's my wife," Hercules said, holding her tightly. "Well, happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor," Snow White said, clapping for them. No one clapped with her. The square was completely silent, everyone simply staring at Hercules and Meg with sorrow.

Eilonwy had tears in her eyes as she slowly kissed the two fingers on her left hand and raised them high in the air. Meg's tears spilled over again as slowly, everyone began to follow her. The two fingered symbol was the utmost in respect among the Disney people. It meant love, good wishes, and goodbye. Hercules kissed the top of her head and they felt grateful for their community. In the back, Meg could see Amphitryon and Alcmene with tears in their eyes. And their little girl Hebe was smiling at them. It made Meg smile back at her through the tears.

Her daughter's smile was the last thing she saw before Peacekeepers ushered them inside.

**Whew! I'm a fan of this chapter. The salute is two fingers instead of three because employees at WDW and DL point with two fingers, and it's known as the "Disney point". **

**Next chapter will introduce the other tributes!**


	3. Chapter 3

**All right, time to meet some other tributes! Hope you guys like it. And if you ****enjoyed it (or even if you didn't) PLEASE leave me a review and tell me what you think!**

"You've got two minutes," Ares said as he opened the door to the room Hercules and Meg were in. Amphitryon and Alcmene rushed in and Meg grabbed Hebe. While Meg squeezed her daughter to her chest and showered her with kisses, Hercules hugged his parents as tightly as he could. "Oh, Hercules," Alcmene said, sobbing. He kissed his mother's cheek. "It's going to be okay. Please, just take care of my Hebe," he begged his parents. Amphitryon nodded. "We will, son," he said softly.

The little girl was busy exploring her mother's face, probably wondering why Meg was crying so much. "My little girl," she said softly as a whisper. "I love you so, so much, you have to know that, okay? Don't ever forget how much I love you." Hercules came over and held his daughter. "Baby, daddy wishes so much he could see you grow up," he said with tears in his eyes. "But I have to protect mommy so that she can come home to you. I will always love you, sweetheart. Always, always." Hebe smiled at him, her tiny hands wrapped around his big finger. Meg kissed her daughter with tears running down all of their faces. They knew that there was a chance they would never see her little cheeks, her beautiful eyes, hear her laugh again. They had to savor this moment with her. Meg tried her hardest to memorize every aspect of Hebe's face, terrified that one day she would forget it.

The peacekeepers came back in. "Time to leave," they said gruffly, shoving Amphitryon and Alcmene towards the door. Meg held Hebe close to her. "Please, just one more minute with her, please," she begged them, sobbing. Ares shook his head. Hercules stood in front of them protectively. Two more peacekeepers came in, one punching Hercules in the stomach with the butt of his gun. Hercules doubled over in pain as another peacekeeper dragged him away from Meg. "Hercules!" she screamed, fearing for her husband's safety. Ares walked up and wrestled Hebe roughly out of Meg's arms, although she struggled against the peacekeeper who held her back. Hebe began to wail, reaching for her parents. Both Meg and Hercules had tears running down their faces. "Don't hurt her!" Meg cried, fighting against the peacekeeper. Every one of Hebe's wails felt like a stab in her heart. "HEBE!"

Her wails disappeared down the hall and the peacekeepers left abruptly, slamming the door behind them. As soon as she was released, Meg collapsed to the ground in despair. Her body shock with the force of her tears. Through her sobs, she felt Hercules put his arms around her. He was shaking too. She buried her head in his chest and they cried for their daughter, each of them convinced that they would never see her again.

The door flew open again, this time revealing Snow White. "All right, my brave tributes, time to board the train!" she chirped. The two tributes ignored her, continuing to grieve together. Snow White huffed impatiently. "There is a schedule, you know," she said, looking at a clipboard. "Now, come along." She went over and pulled Meg up. Hercules stood as well and supported his wife. Snow smiled at them. "You two are adorable! So marketable. Just like a fairy tale," she gushed. "But let's do something about these tears." She pulled out a pink handkerchief and wiped the tears off of their faces. "Now, put on your brave faces and let's go to the train station!"

When they walked outside to the car that was waiting, Eilonwy was standing right behind the wall of peacekeepers. "Meg!" she called. "Don't worry! I'll look after them, I promise!" Meg was not allowed to acknowledge her, but she was so grateful to Eilonwy in that moment that she wanted to cry again. "In the car quickly now!" Snow instructed. As Hercules helped her into the car, Meg could still hear her friend's hopeful voice. "I hope you win, Meg!"

And then it was just her, Hercules and Snow inside the car. Snow began to babble on about the speed of the train and the amenities, but neither of them were listening. Meg rested her head on Hercules' shoulder, and he put his arms around her. Her heart felt heavy and she knew he felt the same. They passed the ride in silence, making it to the train quickly. "Here we are!" Snow said, leading them onto the train. Their eyes widened. It was the most luxurious thing they had ever seen. Brocade carpets, leather chairs, more food than they had had in years just sitting at a table. Snow White laughed at their faces. "I know, isn't it wonderful?" she squealed, doing a little twirl in the sitting area.

Hercules and Meg didn't know what to say. The day had been so overwhelming that all they wanted to do was find the beds and sleep. Snow pushed them down into chairs. "Sit! Eat!" she encouraged. "I'm going to go find Philoctetes. Probably harassing the servers again..." She walked off and just like that, they were left alone again. As soon as they were alone, Hercules took Meg's hand and kissed it. "Meg, don't be mad at me," he begged. Meg put a hand to her forehead. "It's hard not to be, Hercules! How could you do something so stupid?" she snapped.

"What was I supposed to do? Stay here and watch you die?"

"Yes, if it means our daughter is safe!"

"She is safe."

"How are your parents supposed to take care of Hebe? How are they supposed to take care of themselves? The money you got from the mines was barely able to feed us!"

"Eilonwy said-"

"Eilonwy's fifteen! And a girl! How is she going to take care of them?" Meg stood and began to pace. "And what happens when we're both killed? What then?"

"We're not going to die."

"They've reaped twenty four people, Hercules. Only one of us comes out! The odds are not in our favor here!"

"Yes, only one comes out! And it's going to be you," Hercules said, standing and taking Meg's hand. "Look, Hebe...she'll be all right without me. But she needs you, Meg. Little girls need their mothers." Meg sighed and was about to respond when the door slid open again.

"Lover's quarrel?" the stubby satyr said, walking in. Hercules smiled at the sight of Philoctetes. Phil was Hercules' family friend back in the days of Mickey, but they hadn't seen each other in years. "Hi, Phil," he said warmly. The satyr merely grunted at him and plopped into a seat. "So, you're in the hunger games," he said matter-of-factly. "Only one of you is gonna ride this train again. My money's on muscles."

Hercules shook his head. "No, it's got to be Meg," he said resolutely. Phil glared at me. "Her? She won't last a day!" he scoffed. Meg glared at him. "Are you going to help us or not, mutton man?" she snapped. He chuckled and reached for a plate. "You want help? Start coming to grips with the fact that you're not seeing your little girl again and there ain't nothing I can do to stop it," he said as he bit the plate and began to chew.

He wasn't fazed by the looks on their faces. "We need real advice, Phil!" Hercules yelled. Phil rolled his eyes. "Real advice? Better watch the other reapings and start to size up your competition. I guarantee you that's what they're doing."

••••

After dinner, Hercules, Snow, Phil and Meg sat around the large television to watch the reapings from the other districts. Hercules had a pen and paper, determined to get inside the heads of each tribute. Snow had already given them some basic details-Districts One, Two and Four had known about the Hunger Games for years and their youth had been training in preparation. For them, being a tribute was the ultimate honor. Districts Three and Six were a less physically strong people. District Ten's tributes would be animals, as all of the animals of Disney lived there.

"All right, shall we begin? District One!" Snow said. The reaping began much like theirs had, except people began to volunteer almost immediately. Aurora Rose, a girl of sixteen, had been the first one to rush the stage. Meg scrutinized her. She was truly a beauty, with golden hair, ruby lips and crystal eyes. In a gray dress with a black bodice she didn't look very threatening, but the conviction in her face spoke for itself.

Phillip Prince, the male tribute, was eighteen, Hercules' age. He looked more forbidding, well muscled and broad shouldered. His black and gray attire showed off his toned physique and blue eyes. They looked like a statuesque couple, and when they shook hands you could see the attraction forming. "Oh, she looks lovely," Snow commented. Hercules looked nervous. "And he looks like trouble."

"You can take that guy," Meg said reassuringly. Hercules still seemed worried. "District Two!" Snow announced, pressing a button on her handheld control. They were shown two people volunteering at almost the same time. The man, Li Shang, was easily the bulkiest man Meg had ever seen-except for Hercules, of course. He had coal black hair tied back into a tight bun and a gaze as hard as flint. His red and black attire made him look like a dragon.

Fa Mulan, his younger counterpart (Meg thought she had heard them say seventeen), looked like a trained warrior as well. She had the same dark hair as Shang, but it was left loose and hanging at her shoulders. She wore a green tunic and tan pants. She didn't necessarily look the strongest, but she looked fast and deadly. When the two walked up and shook hands, it looked like they were trying to break each other's fingers.

"District Three!"

No volunteers this time, just the unlucky chosen. The male was Milo Thatch, a skinny, bespectacled fifteen year old in a tweed sweater vest. As soon as she saw him, Meg felt sorry for him. There was no chance he would make it out of the games alive.

Disrict Three's female was Kida Kagash, a tan skinned seventeen year old with silver hair and a grim face. She had next to no clothing on, only a blue cut top and skirt. Milo looked scared of her when he shook her hand.

"District Four!"

This was the district in charge of fishing, so Meg thought it funny that their male tribute was named Eric Fishman. She would have laughed if she wasn't so upset. Eric seemed strong enough, muscular and toned underneath his simple white and black sailor's attire, but his real asset was his handsomeness. He had thick, dark hair and sea green eyes a girl could get lost in. No doubt that charm would come in handy. It was already working on the female tribute, Ariel Triton.

Only sixteen, Ariel looked terrified to be chosen. She was held back by a large group of girls Meg assumed were her sisters, but she came forward nonetheless, nervously adjusting her blue dress. She walked with a wobble, tripping on the steps to the stage, as if she'd never had legs before. She was pretty enough, with bright red hair tied back in a blue bow and big blue eyes, but she didn't seem like she would be a threat.

"District Five!"

James Hawkins was only thirteen and he was the chosen tribute. It was sad to think of him dying so young. Meg forced herself to stay the course. She had to get home to her daughter. She couldn't worry about the lives of other people. He looked as though he had some sense to her, although his baggy brown jacket and pants suggested he was pretty small. His poor mother had fainted when his name was called.

The female tribute was thirteen as well, Merida Dunbroch. The first thing anyone noticed about her was her fiery red hair, which fell in untamed curls around her round face. She had three younger brothers, a father, and a mother, who all looked heartbroken when they heard her name. Merida didn't let it bother her. She stomped up to the stage in her dark green gown and shook James' hand in a grip that looked bruising.

"District Six!"

Their male was Phoebus Sun, a seventeen year old with long golden hair and a smarmy smile. Like most of the tributes, he was dressed simply, in blue and gold. He seemed overconfident to Meg, but she knew that if he was overconfident that he had a reason to be.

Esmeralda Gold was...exotic looking. She had dark skin and wildly untamed dark hair that she held back with a purple scarf. She had numerous gold pieces-bracelets, anklets, coins tied to her purple skirt-and a green corset that matched the color of her eyes. She looked bewitching. When she shook hands with Phoebus, she winked at him. Meg could see him become smitten from the TV.

"District Seven!"

The male tribute for this district looked sullen as he strode up. Meg believed his name was Adam Bête. He looked to be about seventeen, with long auburn hair pulled back into a ponytail and blue eyes. He was wearing a ripped outfit that for some reason included a cape. An elderly, plump woman fussed over him as he was taken to the front of the square.

His fellow tribute, Belle O'Hara, was slim and bookish, wearing a simple blue dress and apron. She had brown hair that she had pulled back with a big bow, her big brown eyes wide and scared. She hugged an elderly man tightly before walking bravely up to the front of the podium. She smiled at her older tribute, offering her hand politely. He took it gruffly, but softened when he saw her face.

"District Eight!"

The girl for this district looked like she popped out of a storybook. She had a sweet smile, blonde hair, and birds flying around her as if they were her friends. She didn't seem to have any family, and she was dressed in the humble attire of a textile worker, brown and blue, but she walked forward surely when she heard the name Cinderella Tremaine called.

By contrast, her male tribute seemed to be very scared. James Charming, age sixteen. They were both younger in this district. He looked as though he was more sheltered than she was: his red pants and white jacket suggested he was rather well off in their district. Neither of them looked as if they were fighters, and when they shook hands they looked afraid of each other. Meg mentally wrote them off.

"District Nine!"

The female from this district, Pocahontas Bedard, was the tallest woman Meg had ever seen, especially for seventeen. She was dark skinned, with black hair that fell in a sheet to her waist. She walked bravely to the front in her short brown dress, only stopping once to look back at an older man with long black hair like hers. He look saddened and Meg guessed that that was her father.

John Smith was the name of this male tribute. He had long blonde hair like the male tribute from District Six, but his eyes were bluer. He strode up bravely, seemingly unfazed by the concept of the games. When they shook hands, the wind seemed to move around them.

"District Ten!"

This was the district that the animals lived in. Meg had been hoping for a mouse or a deer-something that her Hercules could take out easily. The name called, Nala Pride, unfortunately belonged to a lioness. She walked forward with dignity and grace, a slight snarl in her step.

The next name was Simba Pride, another male. He looked to be in his prime, with a full mane and a powerful body. As the group watched the two lions dip their heads to each other, Hercules groaned. Meg took his hand to comfort him.

"District Eleven!"

The female from this district was Tiana Jones, seventeen. She looked sweet and hardworking, her curly brown hair pulled up into a messy bun. When her name was called, the first thing she did was make her yellow work dress as presentable as possible. She then walked up, slowly but with conviction.

Naveen Putto, a dashing seventeen year old, was the male tribute. He had dressed up slightly more than everyone else, wearing a white button down, cream pants, a tie and a sweater vest. A cap was placed jauntily on his head, drawing attention to his chiseled features and charming eyes. He had a younger brother who had to be restrained as he walked up to the top. Tiana seemed unimpressed, rolling her eyes as he shook her hand with a wink.

"Would you like to see yourselves?" Snow asked cheerfully. Before they could answer, she was playing the District Twelve footage. Hercules and Meg watched the whole thing unfold, watch Meg's name be called, her trying to get to Hebe, Hercules volunteering, their kiss and Eilonwy's salute. It felt like it had happened years ago, instead of just a few hours. Oblivious to their expressions, Snow rambled on. "They're calling you the lovers of the games! Don't you just love a good romance? And of course having the daughter thrown in there as well-my goodness, the sponsors you two will get!"

That word sparked Meg's interest. "Sponsors?" she asked. Snow nodded. "Oh, yes! You see, as the whole event is televised, if one of the Capitol citizens like you, they can send you a gift that you need! Say, matches, or bread, or water! Anything that might be helpful," she explained. "Which means they have to like you. Again, my money's on Herc over here. This one doesn't have a nice bone in her body," Phil piped up. Meg had had just about enough arguing for one day. Without a word, she stood up and stormed out of the train car.

Hercules sighed. "I'll go check on her. We'll see you two tomorrow," he said, following his wife.

••••

He found her sitting on the bed, with one hand wrapped around her stomach, something he knew she did whenever she wasn't holding Hebe. She'd hardly put their daughter down since she'd been born. He sat next to her and took her hand gently. "Meg," he said softly. "Don't worry." She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "You heard what he said, Hercules! Whether you win or die could depend on getting people to like me," she worried, her head in her hands. "I can't get people to like me."

"You got me to like you," Hercules said with a smile. "You'll believe anything," she quipped, nudging him gently. He smiled and kissed her cheek gently. "Meg, I just want you to know that I won't let anything happen to you. I promised I would never hurt you, and I never will. I'm going to make sure you make it home to Hebe."

"Hercules, I think you should be the one to go home. You're stronger and more experienced than me…I'm a liability." He took Meg's face in his and held it with all the tenderness in the world at these words, gently kissing away the fear. They kissed tenderly, relishing every moment, as they knew that they couldn't both come home. One of them would have to live with their true love's death until the end of their days, so every kiss, every hand, every touch meant so much more than either of them could put into words.

Even if it was only for a week or so, they both wanted to remember this moment as it was: the two of them. Together they could handle anything that came their way.

**I love these two together! Well, I hope you guys liked it! Now that more characters have been introduced we can start to see the world expand! And just who will live in the capitol? :D **

**Have a wonderful holiday season!**


	4. Chapter 4

**All right, here's Chapter Four! I'm so glad you guys are enjoying the story so far :) Shoutout to all my amazing reviewers, ya'll make my day! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Disney characters mentioned in this story.**

The next morning they mostly sat in silence at the breakfast table. Snow was babbling as usual, but everyone else was blocking her out. Hercules and Meg were holding hands as they ate. They felt much more connected to each other and had found comfort last night.

"Oh, and you two will be sleeping in separate rooms when we get to the Capitol," Snow White announced, wrinkling her nose in distaste. "Some of us had to share a wall with you last night." Hercules blushed and Meg rolled her eyes. She could make her silly rules if she wanted-they would just break them. Phil laughed to himself as if he knew what Meg was thinking.

The dark tunnel they were in suddenly gave way to a flood of light. Snow squealed. "There it is, you two! The Capitol!" Hercules immediately stood up and went to the window to take a look. Meg didn't even bother to try. She didn't want to see all those pampered idiots gaping at her as if her life was a game. Snow practically pushed her up as they made their way into the train station. "Go! They'll love it! A glimpse of the tragic lovers!" she encouraged. Meg sighed as she went over to join Hercules at the window.

Capitol citizens had lined up to get a glimpse of them as they pulled into the station. They were mostly dressed in elaborate, colorful clothing, with dyed hair and bright skin. They looked like different people. Some of them were animals. Meg saw a burly dog in a sweater wink at her and she could hardly contain her disgust. Hercules saw a girl with the longest hair he had ever seen. It must have been the length of the train. She was sitting on the shoulders of a devilishly handsome looking man who was holding some of her golden tresses, and they all looked completely entranced at the sight of the District 12 tributes, simply dressed and without any adornment.

"I hate them," Meg murmured angrily, turning to leave. Hercules took her hand to calm her down. "It's okay, Meg," he reassured her. "Get them to like you, remember? For Hebe." She sighed and he kissed her cheek. The crowd outside of the train cheered in delight at the sight. Meg smirked. If all she had to do was kiss her Wonderboy to impress these people, then this wouldn't be as hard as she thought. She pulled Hercules close to her and kissed him in full view of their audience.

The cheers turned into roars.

••••

As soon as they had gotten off of the train they had been separated for what Snow had described as the beautification stage. Meg was surrounded by three Capitol citizens who pinched, pulled and prodded her into their standard of beauty. After they had painted her face and pulled her hair into an elaborately done ponytail, they left.

When the door opened again Meg was about ready to kill someone. "You'd better not be here to make me look beautiful!" she snapped. "You'd better save that passion for the arena," a male voice said with a chuckle. "You'll need it." The speaker was a man, another Capitol citizen, although he didn't look it. He wore only a simple purple vest and white baggy pants to cover his tanned skin. He wore no makeup, and his dark hair hung loosely around his face. Meg was still scrutinizing him when he came up and took her hand. "You have a beautiful family," he said. "I'm sorry you had to leave them." She was taken aback by his sincerity. The Capitol citizens all seemed to think it was an honor. Still, she couldn't bring herself to say 'thank you' to him.

"Who are you?" she asked instead. He smiled. "My name is Aladdin. I'm your stylist," he said simply. Meg sighed. "So you are here to make me look beautiful," she said with an eye roll. Aladdin shook his head. "I'm here to help you stand out."

"How are you going to do that?" she asked curiously. His brown eyes sparkled as he answered. "Now that you have been remade, the tributes will dress in clothing that reflects their districts and ride on chariots in front of the citizens and the president. You need to look spectacular. So I've designed something special for you." He took Meg's hand and led her to where a dress was laying.

Meg gasped when she saw it. It was the most beautiful gown she had ever seen, strapless and flowing. It was a stormy gray color, and the gray seemed to move and change like storm clouds. "I was inspired by coal and fire," Aladdin explained as he helped her into the dress. "Both come from lightning. So..." He pressed a button and suddenly the dress seemed to hum and crackle. Meg looked down. It had a glow to it, so powerful that it lit the whole room. Every so often, snaking lines of lighting would shoot out. It made her look powerful, like a goddess. She smiled a real smile for the first time since being reaped. "I love it," she told Aladdin. He smiled. "Let's get to the chariots."

Two bucking black horses were fixed to a chariot lined with roses. Meg saw Hercules already there, wearing a suit of the same material. He looked strong, like he could win the whole thing. When he saw her he lit up. "You look so beautiful," he said, kissing her. She smiled as she felt the smooth fabric of his shirt. "You look handsome," she responded. Jasmine, Hercules' stylist, hugged Meg. "It was a brave thing you two did. Aladdin and I will do all we can to help you," she said. Meg smiled and nodded her gratitude, looking around at some of the other tributes in the area.

The District One tributes looked sweet, dressed in shades of pink and red, while the District Two tributes had gone with dragon scale armor. "Love the dress," the female District Eleven tribute said as she walked past in a slinky white evening gown, a crown of grain on her head. "You're the one with the daughter, right?" Meg nodded. "Hebe," she clarified. The girl nodded. "I'm Tiana," she said, extending her hand. Meg shook it. "I'm Megara, but people call me Meg," she replied.

"Places!" someone called. Tiana looked to where her fellow tribute was waiting. "Gotta run," she said. "I'll see you around." Meg nodded and went to stand in her chariot with Hercules. Aladdin began to instruct them. "Don't look too in love. Look strong. Hold hands, but don't kiss, no smiles," he instructed. Meg scoffed. "That'll be easy," she quipped. "Don't forget these," Jasmine said, pulling out two circlets. They hummed and cracked, looking just like they were made out of lightning.

Jasmine put the larger one on Hercules' head, while Aladdin set Megara's in her hair. "You're ready," he declared as the first chariots set off.

Meg took Hercules' hand, worried about what would happen as their chariot started forward. The first thing she became aware of was the sheer number of people. They were everywhere, thousands of them, more than she had ever seen before. It made her nervous.

"What is that in the back?" a booming voice, probably the announcer, asked. Meg realized they were talking about her and Hercules. He took her hand, and Meg forced herself to hold her head high. She was strong. She was powerful. She could do this. As they rode into the Arena, the cheers turned into roars. Their costumes seemed to have entranced the citizens. They were throwing flowers and gifts down at them. Hercules caught a rose and handed it to Meg, making them cheer louder. A chant formed. "Twelve! Twelve! Twelve!" It followed the two of them, even as the announcer expressed his delight at the creativity and bold use of elements. It seemed like an eternity before they pulled up next to the other chariots.

Her new friend Tiana's chariot was next to her. Tiana offered her a smile, but the other tributes looked less friendly, particularly the careers. Meg smiled to herself. They were likely jealous. Some of them looked ridiculous. The District four tributes were dressed as merpeople, and the District nine tributes had corn husks woven into their hair. Their stylists were clearly delusional.

Finally the roars of "twelve!" died down, and President Jafar stood up to speak. "Welcome, tributes," he said with a smile, looking down at all of them. "We in the Capitol salute your courage and your sacrifice." Meg knew everything he was saying was bullshit. She didn't think he expected them to believe him. It was all about appearances. "Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor," he concluded with a dark chuckle.

As quickly as the chariots had stopped, they started again. The crowds roared their affections when Hercules and Meg came around. Hercules squeezed his wife's hand comfortingly, knowing that she was thinking of the people in District Twelve who were watching and not cheering at all. She felt a tear come to her eyes, but she pushed it away. No more crying. She just had to think strong.

Snow White ran up to them and hugged them impulsively as soon as their chariot stopped. "That was marvelous, you two! Simply breathtaking! One of my dear friends is already considering becoming a sponsor! If you keep this up, you're certain to win," she gushed. Hercules blushed, but Meg remained focused. "What next?" she asked grimly.

"Training," Phil said with a smirk.

••••

The penthouse of the Training Center was reserved just for District Twelve, something Snow had gone on and on about. They had to wake up bright and early for training, their first of only three days, so they both tried to get some rest. "Herc?" Meg murmured from her spot in his arms (Snow had given them separate rooms, but of course they weren't listening to her). He looked down at his wife. "Yeah?" he asked.

"How are we going to do this?" she asked, looking worried and scared. He tightened his grip on her. "We will," he promised. "We'll be training tomorrow. I can get a chance to observe them, figure out their weaknesses. All I have to do is kill them before they kill us, Meg. And then-"

"And then what happens if it's just is two?" she interrupted. "They won't stop until only one person is left." Hercules was silent for a moment before he responded. "Then...then you'll have kill me," he said in a pained voice. "Or I'll do it myself. But it's the way it has to be." He felt shaking and realized that she had tears running down her face. "But I can't live without you, Hercules," she sobbed, clutching him more tightly to her.

He sighed and kissed her. "I'm sorry."

"I'm so sorry."

**Yay more chapters! In case you couldn't guess, the Capitol citizens watching from the train station were Pete (from the classic Mickey Mouse cartoons) and Rapunzel on Flynn's shoulders. **

**They live in the Capitol because I imagine that the citizens are mostly classic cartoon characters, but also some villains and the characters whose movies are particularly adored by execs (hence why Snow White, Aladdin and Jasmine are all Capitol citizens as well). **

**I like the idea too that villains are the mayors of the districts! So Ursula is the mayor of Ariel and Eric's District, Maleficent is the mayor of Aurora's, etc. **

**Okay, I've rambled enough! :) If you liked it please drop me a review!**


	5. Chapter 5

**I'm back! I love this chapter. It's a longer one, and I like this one because we get to see different characters interact! And we'll start to hear from other tributes. Should be fun!**

**If you guys like what I'm doing, please send me a review and let me know!**

Phil woke them up for training early next day. Meg groaned and covered her face with a pillow. "Up and at em!" Phil said gruffly. "If you're out the door in ten, I won't tell miss priss you two shared a room last night." Hercules sighed and began to get out of bed.

The running water was easily Meg's favorite part of this whole experience. She stayed in the showers for longer than she should have, relishing in the feeling of the warm water running over her. When she stepped out of the shower, she saw their training clothes for the day-black unitards that would cling to the skin. The better to see what physique they all had, she supposed. She slid into her training clothes and quickly put her hair into a braid.

Hercules kissed her good morning, his training suit showing off every inch of his toned body. Meg smiled at the sight of her handsome Wonderboy. "Well, look at the pectorals today," she commented. He grinned and wrapped his arms around her. "You look beautiful yourself," he said, noticing how the clingy black fabric showed off Meg's curves, which certainly were in all the right places...

They kissed simultaneously, falling onto the bed. Meg giggled as Hercules kissed her neck. They both remembered happier times when they had first gotten married. That first night they had been together as newlyweds, their little house in the district, the stars and the moon out for the first time in years. More than anything they wished that they could go back to that moment.

"You two better be getting ready in there!"

They sighed and Meg put a hand on Hercules' cheek. "Okay, Wonderboy," she said softly. "Let's go."

••••

"In two weeks, 23 of you will be dead. One of you will be alive. Who that is depends in how well you pay attention over the next four days, especially to what I'm about to say," a Capitol woman in a tracksuit said. Meg stood next to Hercules, with the other tributes clustered around them. On one side of Meg was a lion, and it was rattling her a little bit to see it so close to her.

The head trainer continued. "First, no fighting with the other tributes," she ordered. "You'll have time for that in the arena. There are four compulsory exercises, and then the rest will be individual training." She paused briefly to glance at the tributes again. "My advice is don't ignore the survival skills. Everybody wants to grab a sword, but most of you will die from natural causes. 10% from infection, 20% from dehydration. Exposure can kill just as easily as a knife."

It was good advice. Meg was sure to log that in the list of things that she could do. She wasn't the strongest or the fastest, but she'd be good at finding food and she thought she'd be okay with a knife or a bow if she could practice with them. Hercules squeezed her hand as the tributes scattered. The careers grabbed swords almost immediately, the fiery haired district five girl grabbed a bow, and the bespectacled district three male went over to the large computer. The pair of lions simply went to the corner and slept-they couldn't hold weapons and they had no need for survival skills. This was their natural habitat.

Meg put her elbow on Herc's shoulder and looked up at him. "Well, where are we starting?" she asked him. He was quiet, already analyzing his opponents, and it took him a moment to respond. "I can teach you how to throw knifes," he said, looking at the currently empty station. She nodded and mentally prepared herself. "Okay," she said. "Let's do it."

As they walked over to the station, Meg looked around more. Tiana's district partner was trying to climb the ropes course. He didn't look very coordinated. Tiana herself was with the black haired girl and the one that talked to birds, learning snares. She smiled and waved when they passed. "Meg, hi!" she said. Meg smiled back and walked over to where they were. "Hey, guys," she said. They all waved at her. "You're the one who has a daughter, right?" the gypsy looking one asked. Meg nodded. "This is my husband," she said, introducing Hercules. He waved at them distractedly. "You're very brave," the bird girl said admiringly. "I'm Cinderella."

"And I'm Esmeralda," the gypsy girl said with a warm smile. Meg smiled back. "I'm Megara. My friends call me Meg. But I guess it's not wise to have friends here, is it?" she remarked. "Perhaps it is," Cinderella replied. "The careers seem to have formed an alliance. We should form one as well. There's strength in numbers, right?"

"Until those numbers need to start dropping," Meg pointed out. Cinderella's sweet face fell. "I suppose," she admitted. "But I am hoping for an alliance with someone. I'm not very strong. I'm afraid it's my only chance." Esmeralda nodded in agreement. "We don't all have loving and very muscular husbands," she said with a sigh. Tiana giggled at the face Meg made. "I'll let you know, okay?" she promised as Hercules led her to the knife throwing target station.

Hercules picked up a knife and placed it in his wife's hand. "Okay, when throwing a knife, throw overhand," he said as the targets began to glow orange. "It'll go farther. You're smaller, so you might have to give it some spin too. Watch this." He picked up a knife and threw it underhanded, without much conviction, and it landed somewhere to the side. Then he picked up a second knife and threw it overhand. It hit the center of the target, right where the heart would be. This caused several of the other tributes to stop what they were doing and begin to focus on Hercules. He didn't seem to notice as he picked up the third knife. "Now watch what happens when I add spin," he told Meg, backing up a bit. Meg backed away too.

He spun around and released the knife with a grunt. It hit the heart of the target so forcefully that the metal bent. The entire room was now watching him teach his wife, including the careers. "Now, watch the trajectory for a target on the side of you," he told Meg as he picked up four knifes at once. The targets lit up and he bounced up and down to prepare himself. He let go of one knife, then another and another. All four knifes were firmly planted into the target. Hercules didn't even break a sweat. "Now you try," he said, nodding at the knife in Meg's hand. "And don't be discouraged if you don't hit the target. It takes practice."

Meg spun and released the knife, which promptly flew into the head of the target. That shot was a killing shot. Not to be stopped, Meg grabbed three more knifes and executed three more targets. Hercules' face lit up. "That was amazing, honey! You really have a gift," he said, pulling her into his arms happily. She smirked and kissed him quickly. "I have a good coach," she said.

It wasn't until then that they realized everyone was staring at them. Some, like that lumbering beastly looking tribute, looked like they wanted to kill the pair. The careers looked...interested. The others simply looked scared knowing that such a powerful duo had come from an outlying district. Hercules kissed Meg's cheek. "Why don't we go work on your archery skills next?" he said quietly, walking silently the through the tributes.

The only other one at the Archery station was the feisty redhead. She scooted away slightly when she saw them coming. Meg remembered that she was only thirteen and offered her a gentle smile. "Do you mind if we work with you?" she asked. The redhead nodded. "It's all right wif me," she said in a heavy Scottish accent. "Ah was jost finishin mah practice. You can 'ave this," she said, pushing the bow into Meg's hands. "Thank you..."

"Merida Dunbroch," the girl stated, sticking her arm out and grasping Meg's hand in a firm grip. Meg didn't know what to make of her, but before she could say her name the girl had stomped off. Quite the unusual little pipsqueak.

After a brief tutorial, Hercules had Meg shooting arrows at targets. She wasn't as good with a bow as she was at throwing knives, but she could manage to inflict some damage with it. "Not bad with a bow," a voice said. The pair turned around to see the six careers standing in front of them. The one in front offered them a dazzling smile. "I'm Phillip Prince, of District One," he said, shaking Hercules' hand and kissing Meg's. "You two are quite the power couple," the black haired one remarked. "I'm Eric Fishman. District Four."

"Your daughter is beautiful," the female district two tribute said softly. Her hair was pulled up today, but Meg saw she had the same kind eyes she had seen on the TV. "Thank you," she said, smiling at the girl. "Fa Mulan," the girl continued, bowing respectfully. Meg saluted her playfully.

The girl from district one clapped her hands and smiled. "So we see you have quite a bit of skill. If you'd like, we're forming an alliance and you're welcome to join. It will help us get rid of the...lesser competition," she said sweetly. Meg looked to where the Three tribute was focusing on plant identification, the thirteen year old male was learning how to build traps, and Tiana was building a fire with her friends. If there was anyone she'd want to form an alliance with, it was them. Hercules took her hand. "Sorry, we're going to stay on our own," he said politely. "We can't afford to think in terms of alliances. We have a daughter we have to get home to."

"Well, one of you will," the girl said rudely as she turned away. The careers walked away talking to themselves. One hung back, Fa Mulan. "I think you two are the bravest ones here," she told them honestly. I wish you luck." With another bow, she was gone. Hercules and Meg looked at each other. "That could have gone better," Hercules said with a sigh. "I think we made some enemies," Meg replied. Hercules shook his head. "They're all our enemies, Meg. Even the ones we like. You can't think of them as people. They're just tributes standing between you and Hebe." Meg sighed as she looked over to where Tiana was.

She knew he was right, but it still felt wrong.

••••

The next two days of training passed quickly. Everyday, Meg and Hercules rotated all the stations. They hardly ever split up. They were a team, and it would remain that way. Meg was sure to teach Hercules basic survival skills like trapping, netting and starting a fire. He was clumsy at first but quickly got the hang of it. Meg was also steadily getting better at the bow and sword. Her knife work was still incredibly good, and she was becoming confident that she would be able to fight adequately with any weapon she managed to grab.

Phil was waiting with them as they sat outside the training center. They were going to go in now and be evaluated individually. Phil said that this score would be a crucial part of getting sponsers. "Remember, you only get a few minutes," he told them. "There'll be knifes-Meg, make sure you use them. Hercules, one on one combat and be sure to throw some things around. This is the time to show them everything, ok? Make sure they remember you."

The door slid open and Tiana walked out, drenched in sweat. "How did it go?" Meg asked, standing. Tiana sighed. "Not bad, I guess. My best skills are survival ones. My fighting, less so. I mostly threw spears," she said, wringing her hands nervously. Meg smiled reassuringly. "I'm sure you did fine," she comforted her friend.

"Hercules Kalagaris," an automated voice announced. Meg and Tiana turned. Hercules stood with a determined look on his face and strode forward. Meg crossed her fingers. She wasn't worried about him, but still. Every little bit helped. Tiana put a hand on Meg's shoulder. "You know he'll be fine," she said warmly. Meg shook off her worry. "Of course he will," she said pseudo-confidently. "Look at the big lug. He's a shoe in for a good score." Her friend smiled and headed for the elevator. "Good luck, Meg," she said. Meg waved. "Bye, Tia!" she called as the elevator closed.

Once Tiana was gone, Meg slumped into a seat worriedly. She hoped Hercules was all right. Without thinking, she wrapped a hand around her stomach. It was a nervous habit of hers, ever since she'd found out she was pregnant with Hebe. Most of the time she didn't even realize she was doing it. Noticing that the satyr was still pacing around, she quickly forced herself to put her hand down. Strength. Power. She had to look like a champion.

When Hercules came out, he barely looked tired. He did look a little angry. "How did it go?" Meg asked, searching his face for an answer. He ran a hand through his hair. "Could have been better," he admitted. "What happened?" she asked curiously. He looked abashed as he answered. "I threw a training ball into the wall where the judges were sitting, and I may or may not have knocked a few of them out of their chairs," he said sheepishly. Meg gasped. "Hercules,what did-how in the hell-"

"Megara Kalagaris," the voice said. Meg looked up and realized it was time for her to show them what she was made of. Hercules kissed her for luck. "Good luck, honey," he said, gently nudging her in the direction of the door. Meg nodded and stood up straighter. She could do this. For her baby girl.

She walked in and saw a number of Capitol citizens. One in particular seemed to be bemoaning the loss of his food as he struggled to get up. Meg hid a laugh as she realized that Hercules had probably tipped this fat man over. She forced herself to stay composed. "Megara Kalagaris," she announced once she had reached the center. They all stopped and turned to look at her. "District Twelve," she continued. Now that she had their full attention, she'd better start with the knives. She was best at them and she knew she didn't look like much of an athlete at first glance.

Picking up five knives, Meg began to throw them. Some she accented with a dramatic spin just to get and hold their attention. Each knife landed in either the heart or the head of the target she had aimed at. Looking up, she saw them busily writing in their notebooks. She decided to move on to poison identification. While it wasn't a strong suit of her husband's, she generally had a good memory. Pressing a button on the screen, the whole thing came to life with countless numbers of plants and flowers.

Meg's fingers flew across the answering pad as she quickly identified each of the plants and fruits presented to her. Her eyes were darting around so rapidly that she hardly had time to even see what color the ink was. When she finished, she saw that the time that came up was a new record. She smiled to herself. That should prove that she had the survival skills AND the combat training necessary to hold her own. "Thank you for your consideration," she said, bowing. One of them stopped her. "Excuse me, aren't you the tribute with a daughter?" Meg nodded. "Yes, Hebe," she said, her hand wrapping itself around her stomach as if her daughter was there.

"How old were you when you had her?" he inquired as he peered curiously at her. "Sixteen." He chuckled and wrote something in his notebook. Meg began to walk away when she heard them muttering about her. "Decent throwing skills."

"She'll know how to survive in the wilderness."

"But being a mother has undoubtedly made her soft. It would be unwise for the sponsors to invest heavily in her."

Meg turned around at that statement, her temper already flaring up. "Being a mother did not make me soft, you fat idiot!" she snapped. If she'd had a knife in her hand, she would have aimed for their heads. Some of them turned at her remark, and the heavy one chuckled. "I'm sorry, dear, I'm afraid I can't hear you," he said condescendingly, as if she were a puppy. "THEN READ MY LIPS!" Meg yelled, making them all stop and look at her.

She then uttered a curse word so volatile that one of the men fell out of his chair in shock.

"Thank you so much for your consideration," she spat at their shocked figures. She threw her training equipment aside and stormed out of the training center.

Hercules was waiting outside. "How did it go?" he asked her, standing up. She walked past him into the elevator. "It went fine," she snapped, quickly pressing buttons. She just wanted to put as much distance between them and those judges as she could.

••••

"You did what?" Snow shrieked. Hercules sighed. "It was just a little shake! I didn't mean for them to fall," he defended himself. "I was just trying to get them to pay attention to me." The petite escort sighed and threw her hands up in the air. "You could have killed them," she said sternly. Meg took his hand. "At least he didn't curse out the judges," she said with a smirk.

The whole group of them turned to look at her. "You cursed out the judges?" Phil asked. Meg nodded. "Why in the world would you do that?" Snow asked, collapsing into a chair in defeat. "They were saying that being a mother made me soft! Condescending assholes. They deserved it," Meg said with a huff. She crossed her arms. Snow looked like she wanted to faint. "You realize that your actions are a reflection on all of us, not just you!" she said exasperatedly. "All they want is entertainment. She'll be fine," Aladdin said calmly from his place on the couch. Snow was unconvinced. "How about it's just bad manners, Aladdin? How about that?"

Suddenly the Disney anthem came on. They all stopped trying to calm Snow down and instead turned to the screen. The substitute announcer, a short man they called the Sultan, began to speak. "As you know, the tributes were rated on a scale of one to twelve, after three days of careful deliberation." The photo of Phillip Prince came up. He looked cocky. "From District One, Phillip Prince, with a score of Nine."

"From District One, Aurora Rose, with a score of Seven."

"From District Two, Li Shang, with a score of Ten."

"From District Two, Fa Mulan, with a score of Ten."

"From District Three, Milo Thatch, with a score of Four."

"From District Three, Kida Kagash, with a score of Six."

"From District Four, Eric Fishman, with a score of Eight."

"From District Four, Ariel Triton, with a score of Five."

"From District Five, James Hawkins, with a score of Three."

"From District Five, Merida Dunbroch, with a score of Nine."

"From District Six, Phoebus Sun, with a score of Seven."

"From District Six, Esmeralda Sun, with a score of Five."

"From District Seven, Adam Bête, with a score of Eight."

"From District Seven, Belle O'Hara, with a score of Five."

"From District Eight, James Charming, with a score of Five."

"From District Eight, Cinderella Tremaine, with a score of Four."

"From District Nine, John Smith, with a score of Seven."

"From District Nine, Pocahontas Bedard, with a score of Six."

"From District Ten, Simba Pride, with a score of Nine."

"From District Ten, Nala Pride, with a score of Nine."

"From District Eleven, Naveen Putto, with a score of Five."

"From District Eleven, Tiana Jones, with a score of Seven."

The closer Sultan got to announcing their scores, the tighter Meg held Hercules' hand. Finally Herc's picture came up. The whole group held their breath.

"From District Twelve, Hercules Kalagaris, with a score of...eleven," the announcer said, sounding shocked. That was the highest score given. Meg smiled and kissed Hercules impulsively while the group cheered and congratulated him. "And finally, from District Twelve, Megara Kalagaris, with a score of Ten."

The room erupted in cheers, and Meg leaped on top of Hercules, kissing him so passionately that Smow gasped. "To Hercules and Meg, the thunder gods!" Aladdin cried happily as he and Jasmine clinked glasses. It seemed like they might have a chance after all.

**I hope you like it!**

**So the next chapter is gonna be a long one, since every character will have a full interview. **

**I may or may not cut it into two smaller chapters. **

**We shall see!**

**If you liked it, please, please review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Happy New Years! You guys get an extra long update today, with all of the interviews!**

**Tonight only, find out what everyone is wearing, and how they all plan to survive! If you like other characters besides the mains, this is your chapter!**

**It's long, I didn't realize how long it was, so the next update won't be for a couple of days!**

**If you liked it, please drop me a review! Reviews make my day :D**

**Here we go!**

The final obstacle they had to face were the interviews. There was a host for the games, who would explain what was going on much like a sporting event. He would also be interviewing every tribute tonight, and it would be everyone's only chance to speak in front of Disney and impress the sponsors. They had to look stunning, they had to be charming, and they had to leave an impression.

For Meg this would be the hardest thing aside from the actual Hunger Games. She wasn't good at first impressions, and she knew her dress etiquette wasn't as good as it used to be. For the most part, she had lived her life in old shirts and scraps that didn't require attention to the way you sat or moved. Snow had been working with her all

morning in an attempt to help her seem refined and elegant. "Meg, remember, cross the ankles delicately when you sit," she instructed. "And sit properly. Straight and tall."

Meg rolled her eyes and adjusted herself. She really just wanted it to be over. Phil walked in with Hercules. "How's she doing?" he asked Snow. She sighed. "Not the most graceful person in the world, but she's improved remarkably," Snow commented. Phil nodded and the two of them began discussing angles.

"Well obviously there's the romantic angle, and the child," Snow said. Phil shrugged. "That's all fine, but they're gonna need something else. Something individual so that when one dies, the other can still attract sponsors. With muscles here, it's boy next door all the way. He's got the baby face, and he stutters whenever he talks about this one over here." Meg kissed Herc's cheek and he blushed beet red. "What about her?" Snow tutted as she looked Meg over. "Well, she can't sell kindness or sweetness, and sex appeal wouldn't get her very far since she's married."

Phil began circling around her. "Lay off the circling, mutton man," Meg snapped. The satyr's eyes lit up. "That's it!" he exclaimed. "She's gonna use that natural meanness. Except disguise it as wit, cleverness. They'll like that."

"So you're telling me to be...myself?" Meg asked, raising an eyebrow. Phil nodded. "Exactly."

••••

Once again, the prep teams came in and scrubbed Meg to perfection. Aladdin came in and laughed at her face. "I take it the prep team wasn't any more gentle with you today," he guessed. "You guessed it," Meg said, rubbing her arms in pain. "Well, hopefully your dress for tonight will help," he said.

He smiled as he took her dress out of a bag. It was deep gold this time, with little bits of actual metal. It sparkled and shone like it was made out of crushed gold itself. Meg reached out and ran a hand along the fabric. It was incredibly soft to the touch. "Try it on," Aladdin encouraged her. Meg nodded and slid the dress over her head. It fit more snugly than she thought it would, hugging every curve of her body. Aladdin smiled as he examined his work. "You look stunning."

Meg looked in the mirror. The way the gold clung to her body made her look dangerous and unattainable, although the cascade of curls falling over her shoulders made her look human. She almost looked like..."A thunderbolt," she breathed. "I'm a thunderbolt." Aladdin nodded. "You haven't even seen the best part," he said, taking her hand. He handed her a corner of the wrap dress. "Now, spin."

She did so, holding the fabric like he said, and as she spun lightning seemed to shoot out from within the folds of fabric. Meg gasped as Aladdin helped her stop spinning. "It's incredible, Aladdin," she said, hugging him impulsively. He laughed at her enthusiasm and put a hand on her cheek. "I'm betting on you, lightning girl. Now go out there and shine," he said warmly.

•••••

"Ladies and gentleman, your master of ceremonies, the Genie of the Lamp!" a booming voice announced.

A blue creature, with a bottom half made entirely of smoke, smiled and spoke through a microphone with a booming voice. The crowd went crazy as he stood. "It's almost here, everyone! The moment we've all been waiting for! THE HUNGER GAMES!" The cheers were deafening as Genie continued. "In just a minute, all the tributes are gonna be out here! Are you excited? LET ME HEAR IT!"

First out was Aurora. She glided out in a beautiful ball gown that rested off of her shoulders, looking like a vision. The fabric was a visual illusion, changing from blue to pink. Genie took her hand and she curtsied as she sat. "My goodness," he commented as the cheers died down. "That is a lovely gown you're wearing." Aurora smiled confidently at the comment. "Thank you. My stylist is very competent," she said sweetly. Genie laughed and looked at the audience. "Isn't she lovely, folks?"

Everyone cheered and Aurora threw another excellent smile at the audience. "So, the Games start tomorrow. Are you prepared?"

"Yes, Genie, I am very prepared."

"That's confidence! I like that! Now tell me, what do you think sets you apart from the other tributes?"

"Well, I'm at my peak physically. I'm very smart and I'm ready to win."

"That is inspiring to hear. Now, one more question. Is there someone at home you're hoping to win for? A boy, perhaps?"

"No boy, but my three aunties are counting on me to come home. And I certainly don't intend to let them down!"

"Of course not. Aurora Rose, everybody!"

••••

"From District One, the guy with the dashing smile, give it up for Phillip Prince!"

The crowd cheered as Phillip walked on confidently. His red puffy sleeves somehow didn't make him look silly, but rather princely. Genie shook his hand and they sat.

"Phillip. Phillip Prince. Tell me, Phillip, are you ready for these games?"

"How could I not be?"

"You seem prepared! Just look at him, folks! Now, what would happen if you encounter troubles in the arena?"

"Simple. I don't plan to encounter any!"

"Haha! That's quite the answer, Phillip. You seem ready to go."

"I am. I feel so prepared."

"Well, we wish you luck. Now, anything else you'd like to say to the folks out there?"

"Thank you for treating me with such care since I arrived in the Capitol."

He accentuated his interview with a kiss, very strategically melting hearts throughout the audience. "Lovely! Phillip Prince!"

••••

"From District Two, the lovely Fa Mulan!"

Mulan walked on rather shyly, wearing a pink and red wrap dress. Her hair was done up in an elegant bun, and she had a painted face. Genie reached to take her hand, but Mulan clasped her hands together and bowed instead before she sat awkwardly.

"You seem nervous. You must know that you look lovely, right?"

"I'm honestly more comfortable in combat clothes."

"So you're a fighter?"

"I fought in the war against the Huns, before President Jafar's rule."

"Wow! A veteran! The other tributes better watch out for you, huh?"

"I suppose. But if there's one thing the army taught me, it was mercy."

"And she's nice, too, folks! I think we have the trifecta! Do you feel ready for the Games?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

"Well, we wish you the best of luck. Fa Mulan!"

••••

"From District Two, the incomparable Li Shang!"

Shang strode on with a stone face, donning the same black and red dragon scale armor style he had worn before, except this time in the form of a suit. Like Mulan had, he bowed to the Genie respectfully before sitting.

"Shang. Thank you for joining us. Tell us, how are you finding the Capitol?"

"It's very different."

"I'm sure it is! So, do you feel the training has prepared you for the games?"

"Yes."

"Wow, a man of very few words, eh, folks? I won't keep you long, son, but I have one question. You volunteered. Who did you volunteer for?"

"My father's honor."

"His honor? Why his honor?"

"In District Two, honor is everything."

"I hope you find that honor. Give it up for Li Shang!"

••••

"From District Three, she's got white hair but she's definitely NOT your grandma, Kida Kagash!"

Kida didn't look nervous or confident, simply confused. She was wearing a strapless blue gown that had wire patterning running through it. Genie took her hand and she looked at him as though no one had ever done that before.

"My dear, you look beautiful. Can you tell us about this dress?"

"My stylist made it. It is to represent my district."

"Well, he did a fantastic job! You look like a beautiful computer board."

"Thank you."

"Now, are you excited for the games?"

"I suppose. If one can be excited about such long odds."

"Do you think your odds are good?"

"They are the same as everyone else's, one in twenty four."

"We believe in you, don't we folks? Kida Kagash!"

••••

"From District Three, the mental mastermind Milo Thatch!"

The poor little guy looked nervous as he was practically shoved onto the stage in a white suit emblazoned with wire patterns. He sat down quickly, forgetting to shake the Genie's hand.

"Milo, you are from District Three. Have you done a lot of electrical work?"

"Yes, lots."

"So is that your specialty?"

"I would say so. If the Arena turns out to be a giant metal computer, I think I have an edge."

"Ha ha! I love it! Now, who at home are you trying to win for?"

"There's this one girl..."

"He's a romantic! Isn't that cute? Well, we wish you the best of luck! Milo Thatch!"

••••

"From District Four, the always lovely Ariel Triton!"

Ariel walked out shyly in a pale pink ball gown, with puffy sleeves that made her look even more dainty and feminine than she already was. She had clips holding back her bright red hair, but it didn't stop her from twirling a corner of it around her finger. She curtsied before she sat, looking like a cake topper or a meringue.

"What a dress! That color is beautiful. Beautiful!"

"Yes, I love it. I've never worn anything so fancy before."

"Well, it suits you like it was made for you!"

"I believe it was."

"Ha ha! Beautiful and funny! There must be a guy at home, yes?"

"Oh, no, just my sisters and my daddy."

"How many sisters do you have?"

"Six! All older than me. I'm going to win for them."

"And how do you plan to win?"

"Well, I'm very fast, and I'm good with fishing spears."

"Fishing for tributes! Let's make that a carnival ride! Ariel Triton!"

••••

"From District Four, Eric Fishman!"

Eric looked like a true prince in his white suit, with buttons going down both sides and white gloves. He had a dashing smile ready for the audience and a firm handshake ready for Genie.

"That was a confident walk I just saw, Eric."

"I'm a confident guy."

"How do you think your chances are?"

"These other guys can't hold a candle to me, Genie."

"So no threats?"

"That brute from District Twelve night give me some trouble, but I can handle him."

"You've got a strategy, then?"

"I can't give anything away, Genie!"

"Sorry, sorry, trade secrets! Ha ha ha! Eric Fishman!"

••••

"From District Five, the fiery Merida Dunbroch!"

The girl walked out very stiffly, in a light blue gown with tight sleeves. Her hair had been tucked up in a cap of sorts that connected to her dress. Genie had to help her sit.

"I take it you don't spend a lot of time in dresses, Merida."

"Not like these, ah haven't!"

"You look great. Now, are you ready for these games?"

"Ah am. S'long as ah cen get me hands on a bow."

"A bow? Shooting is your specialty?"

"Ah won contests fer it back home!"

"You're a natural already, then! You feel good about your chances?"

"Ah do."

"Splendid. Merida Dunbroch!"

••••

"From District Five, the little man that can, James Hawkins!"

The boy walked on in a white suit, decorated with gold jewelry. It made him look less childish and more like a serious contender. He hardly smiled as he shook Genie's hand and sat.

"Jim. Firstly, can I say, that hairstyle is just too unique!"

"Thanks. It's how my dad wore his."

"Well, I know I'm going to the barbershop after these interviews are over!"

"Hey, don't change the look! Bald is in right now."

"Ha ha ha! He knows the styles! I love it! Tell us about the Tribute Parade."

"It was just so interesting and humbling to be in front of all of those Capitol citizens. And of course, President Jafar."

"Now Jim, we all saw your poor mother at the Reaping. Are you close to your mother?"

"Yes, I am. It's been just the two of us for years."

"She must really love you."

"She does. And I love her. And I'm going to try to get back to her."

"And try you shall. James Hawkins!"

••••

"From District Six, the lovely, the mysterious, Esmeralda Gold!"

Esmeralda slunk out in a red dress that slid off her shoulders and hugged every one of her ample curves. She tossed her thick hair and winked at the cameras before sitting with Genie.

"Wow. Wow. Esmeralda. Wow. What a dress."

"Why, thank you, Genie."

"I know all the men in the audience are thinking this right now-are you single?"

"Yes, I am."

"The crowd loves that, don't ya, boys?"

"You're all so sweet."

"Tell me, what are you thinking, going into these games?"

"I'm thinking...it's a shame so many people will have to die. We've been getting to know each other, you meet these nice people knowing you have to kill them."

"That would be difficult. Do you think that will impact your deadliness in the games?"

"Not a chance."

"Such conviction! Esmeralda Gold!"

••••

"From District Six, let's see if he does indeed shine, Phoebus Sun!"

Phoebus was wearing blue and gold armor that shone in the light of the stage, which worked well with his name and his golden hair. He waved for a full minute before Genie could pull him to a seat.

"So, clearly you have no problem with the limelight."

"Just giving the people what they want."

"And they want you! Let me hear it! Ha ha!"

"Thanks for your support."

"What a charmer, this one! How was your training?"

"I think I knocked it out of the park, honestly. Those guys should watch out for me."

"And watch out they shall! What's your favorite weapon?"

"Definitely the sword."

"Oh, you get up close and personal! Any advice for younger kids hoping to get into the future games?"

"Just be prepared. Start getting into shape. Exercise, that sort of thing."

"Wise words! Phoebus Sun!"

••••

"From District Seven, the belle of the ball, Belle O'Hara!"

The girl who had looked so shy had transformed into a true beauty. She had on a gorgeous yellow and gold ball gown, off the shoulder, with golden gloves and her hair in a partial updo. She curtsied and the audience exclaimed at the different facets of color hitting the light from her skirt.

"Belle. My goodness. You are a vision."

"Thank you."

"Have you ever worn anything like this?"

"Oh, my, no. Never."

"Well, it looks like you were born to be in this sort of clothing. What a beauty."

"You're very kind."

"Now tell me, what do you think will be your best asset in the games?"

"I've read a lot of books."

"Books?"

"Yes. They can teach you a lot. And they help you learn to think creatively."

"So you have creative plans, then?"

"Yes, I do. My papa is an inventor, so creativity is practically in my DNA."

"I can't wait to see some of it. Belle O'Hara!"

••••

"From District Seven, the big and bold Adam Bête!"

He lumbered on, looking stiff and uncomfortable in his blue suit. The gold trim was elegant, but he couldn't bring himself to smile about it. He shook Genie's hand and sat awkwardly.

"Adam, thank you for joining us. How are you enjoying the Capitol?"

"It's very nice. Nicer than back home, at least."

"What a compliment!"

"You're welcome."

"Tell us, what do you think is your greatest asset?"

"I'm pretty strong physically. I mostly fight with my hands."

"Talk about getting down to business! Do you have anyone back home?"

"Just Mrs. Potts. She raised me after my parents died."

"She sounds like a very caring woman."

"She is."

"I wish you luck. Adam Bête!"

••••

"From District Eight-let's see if she managed to get all those cinders out-Cinderella Tremaine!"

The blonde girl stepped onstage shyly, wearing a beautiful blue ball gown covered in sparkles. Her hair had been pulled off of her face in an elaborate bun. When she curtsied, Genie out a hand to his heart.

"You are so gorgeous. I think my heart skipped a beat."

"I'm sorry!"

"Don't be! I would have died happy!"

"Oh, don't die, Genie, I'd be so upset."

"Only if you can promise the same! How are you feeling about your odds?"

"I'm a bit nervous, but my father always taught me to try very hard, so I'm going to try my hardest to win."

"Is your father still with you?"

"No, he died when I was a little girl."

"Well, it sounds like you have a guardian angel up there!"

"I do hope so."

"Do you think you can win?"

"I don't know, but I think I have as good a chance as anyone else."

"Of course you do. Cinderella Tremaine!"

••••

"From District Eight, let's see if he can woo the audience, James Charming!"

Charming walked on rather nervously, his hands held stiffly at his sides. He wore a military style suit with double breasted buttons and red pants. Genie reached out and shook his hand enthusiastically to get him energized.

"So, James Charming. What a name. It's very regal."

"My father used to serve on the royal court, so royal etiquette is genetic, I suppose."

"Ah, we have a statesman here! Are you interested in politics, James?"

"Not particularly. I think President Jafar has done a wonderful job."

"Don't we all? Now, tell us about the Reaping."

"I honestly didn't think that I would be picked. I was very unprepared for this whole thing."

"But have you enjoyed the experience?"

"Very much so. It's like a whole new world, and I love it."

"And we love you. James Charming!"

••••

"From District Nine, the stunning Pocahontas Bedard!"

Looking statuesque as ever, but a bit uncomfortable, the girl stepped onstage in a poofy white and gold ball gown. Her long hair had been piled up into an updo and covered with gold chains and jewels. She curtsied mechanically before she sat with Genie's help.

"My dear, such a transformation!"

"It feels that way."

"You look fabulous! I have to know, was it difficult to put on?"

"Very! It took two hours, and that was just the first layer!"

"Oh, there's layers?"

"Yes, one, two, three, four...five!"

"Would you look at that, folks! Layers! Ha ha ha! Now, how are you feeling about the games?"

"Prepared. I'm ready to do what it takes to win."

"That's what we like to hear! Is there someone back home you're thinking of?"

"My father. I know his spirit is with me now, guiding me, even though we're miles apart."

"Of course he is. Pocahontas Bedard!"

••••

"From District Nine, keeping it short and sweet, John Smith!"

He swaggered on wearing a simple blue ensemble that made his eyes pop like sapphires. He pulled Genie into a surprise hug before sitting casually.

"You're in a good mood today, John. Care to share?"

"You've gotta live each day as though it's your last, Genie. That's my secret to success."

"It's working already!"

"It's a great system."

"Tell us, what was running through your head when you were selected?"

"Nothing surprising. My dad was an explorer before President Jafar. I've seen all kinds of things you wouldn't believe."

"What a job that must have been, eh, folks?"

"He really enjoyed it. I did too."

"So you feel ready for the Arena?"

"It's like a new world. I've seen hundreds of New Worlds, Genie. What could possibly be different about this one?"

"We'll find out tomorrow. John Smith!"

••••

"From District Ten, hopefully her bark is worse than her bite, Nala Pride!"

The lioness padded out unsurely, with her fur painted with colorful stripes and iridescent paint. Tucked behind her ear was a flower. When she reached Genie, she dipped her head respectfully to him and sat on the ground next to the chair.

"Are you comfortable there?"

"More than I would be up there."

"Ha ha! Watch out for this one! Nala. Has it been a challenge, being a lion in a mostly human tribute pool?"

"I was definitely bored during training. Simba and I would just sleep."

"At least you were well rested! Did all that rest prepare you for the games?"

"I believe it did. I'm a lioness. I hunted for food, now I'll hunt for tributes."

"Ooh, vicious. Have you grown close to any of the tributes?"

"Simba, I suppose."

"Are there any you will be sad to see go?"

"That tribute from 12. The one with the baby, right?"

"Ah, yes. What a compassionate soul she is. Nala Pride!"

••••

"From District Ten, the King of the jungle, Simba Pride!"

This lion walked on more boldly, with the same iridescent paint covering his fur. Leaves and gold chains were twisted in his mane. As Nala had, he bowed to Genie before sitting on the floor.

"Simba. That's quite the name. Are you ready for tomorrow?"

"I feel that I am, Genie."

"How have you been adjusting to life in the Capitol?"

"Well, you really need some lion-friendly elevators."

"Lion friendly elevators? I love it! Ha ha ha! Tell us, what do you think sets you apart from other tributes?"

"Well, I have survival skills built into me, and a natural given set of deadly weapons."

"Look at those claws. I wouldn't want one of those in my face!"

"No, you wouldn't."

"Any advice you've been carrying with you?"

"My father tells me, 'remember who you are'."

"Poignant words from a brave tribute. Simba Pride!"

••••

"From District Eleven, what a gorgeous girl, Tiana Jones!"

Tiana stepped out shyly, in a strapless green layered ball gown. The layers of green sparkles wrapped around the dress like leaves. Her hair was pulled up in an updo and accentuated with a leafy tiara. Genie did a double take as she curtsied and sat, her poofy dress fanning out across the seat.

"That is some dress."

"Thank you."

"It looks like lily pads! Doesn't it, folks?"

"I hadn't thought about it before, but now that you mention it, I guess it does look a little like a giant lily pad or something."

"Well whatever it is, I can't get enough of it! Have you enjoyed the styles in the Capitol so far?"

"I certainly have. They're all beautiful."

"Made any friends here?"

"Meg, from District Twelve. She's very sweet."

"How do you think you're gonna make it through the games?"

"With a lot of love and positive energy from you wonderful people."

"I know I'll be giving you some positive vibes as you head to the games. Tiana Jones!"

••••

"From District Eleven, the handsome Naveen Putto!"

The boy walked out in a green suit, sparkling with little gems and poofy sleeves. He swept his cape up into one hand and bowed with the other as Genie sat.

"What an entrance! You sure know how to get attention."

"It's hard for people not to pay attention to me, Genie."

"I believe that! Are you prepared for the games?"

"Absolutely. It should be very fun."

"Fun! Well, someone's excited! Are you excited?"

"I am! Some good old fashioned combat never hurt anyone."

"Except the other tributes, am I right?"

"You certainly aren't wrong!"

"You are a delight to talk to."

"I've liked talking with you!"

"Naveen Putto, everyone!"

••••

Backstage, Meg's stomach was twisting into anxious knots. The tributes who had finished their interviews were waiting back with her and Hercules, the girls comparing dresses and giggling. Hercules had tuned out the announcers long ago, but Meg hung on every word. Suddenly she felt like she was going to throw up. "Hercules, I can't do this," she said in a panicked voice, turning to him. He took her hands in his. "Meg, you'll be fine," he said softly. "Believe in yourself. I do." Meg's eyes lit up and she hugged him tightly. "You always know just what to say, ya big ox," she said, standing on her toes to kiss him quickly.

"From District Twelve, you know her better as the lightning girl, Megara Kalagaris!" The crowd roared, and Meg could hear the chant of "Twelve!" start up again. She felt dizzy as she ascended the steps to the stage, feeling all the tributes' eyes on her. And then she was onstage and she had to concentrate on the interview.

The lights were blinding. Meg could hardly see. Somehow she managed to walk across the stage to where Genie's mouth had dropped to the floor comically. He took her hand and helped her sit. "Megara. Meg. May I call you Meg?" he asked. She nodded and smirked. "We're all friends here. Most people this week have just called me that one with a baby, so knock yourself out," she quipped. He nodded and started again. "Meg, you are a triumph tonight. You look amazing! Transcendent!"

He kissed her hand and Meg raised an eyebrow. "Careful, Genie, I'm a married woman," she teased. The crowd burst out into uproarious laughter. "I can't help myself, Hercules!" Genie called backstage comically. Meg inwardly sighed. This wasn't going terribly. She could handle this.

Genie was once again looking at her dress. "I mean, it's a masterpiece. You look just like..."

"A lighting bolt."

"Yes! A lightning bolt."

"It's got some more lightning. Would you like to see?"

The crowd roared their desires. "Wait, wait, wait," Genie called. "I'm not gonna get hit, am I? I better get on a raincoat!" Meg forced herself to laugh as if he were incredibly funny. "I think you'll be okay," she said as she stood. Picking up the fabric, she began to spin, and the crowd exclaimed as the lightning began to shoot out. Genie's eyes popped out of his head, but Meg couldn't really see anything. She just kept spinning until she felt like she was going to fall over.

"What a treat that was! Thank you for that, Meg," Genie said. He took her hand again. "Now, we were all of us, very moved when we saw you and your family at the reaping. Can you tell us about that?" Meg bit her lip. "I...I was hoping and praying that I wouldn't be chosen, but the universe had other plans for me. And to have Hercules here with me has been so helpful. I just wish that I could see my daughter again, one more time. I miss her so much it...it hurts," she admitted, a tear spilling out.

Genie wiped it away, and the whole room was silent. "Well, we hope that you will be reunited with your little girl again soon. Megara Kalagaris!" The crowd cheered and Meg breathed a sigh of relief.

••••

Meg ran into Hercules' arms as soon as she was off camera. He picked her up and spun her around, the two of them almost knocking over four other tributes. "Watch where you're swinging!" Nala said irritably as Cinderella picked herself up off the ground. Hercules and Meg barely even heard them. "You did great, honey, I'm so proud of you," he said, their foreheads touching.

"You're gonna be amazing," Meg said in response, fixing his tie. His suit was gray and gold, making him look like a storm cloud that could shoot lightning at any time. He kissed her forehead and she responded by planting a huge kiss on his cheek, leaving red lipstick on his cheek. "Oops," she said, giggling at the smitten look on his face. "Let me get that-"

"From District Twelve, they call him the Thunder God, Hercules Kalagaris!" Genie's voice boomed. Hercules laughed. "Looks like I'm out of time," he said, kissing her quickly. "I'll be right back." Meg hugged her arms as she watched Hercules walk towards the stage. "Good luck!" she called after him. She could hear the cheers as he went onstage and moved to the small monitors so she could see his interview. She was trying to avoid the stares of the other tributes as well, as she could feel their eyes boring into her.

Hercules looked so handsome onstage. He shook Genie's hand and they both sat. "Hercules, is that lipstick I see on your cheek?" Genie asked with a smile. Hercules chuckled and blushed almost as red as his hair. "I saw Meg backstage," he said nervously. The crowd cheered and Genie laughed at his expression.

"We certainly love hearing about your love story, Hercules. Tell us, why did you decide you wanted to marry Meg?"

He blushed. "I remember, coming home one day, and I saw Meg standing at the door, waiting for me to come home. She had her hair down, and she was wearing this old t-shirt of mine, and the way her eyes shone...I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life looking into her eyes. I asked her to marry me that night." The crowd collectively cooed and Genie smiled.

Meg put her hands to her heart. She remembered that night. They had been so young. "What a touching story," Genie said. "And now, can I ask, have you ever seen her look more beautiful than she does tonight?" Hercules smiled. "She does look beautiful tonight," he told Genie. Meg became aware of every one of the tributes watching Herc's interview. "But, to tell you the truth, I've seen her more beautiful."

"More beautiful than tonight? Oh, I don't believe you!"

"It's true, I swear."

"Would you tell us about it?" Genie asked. Herc blushed again as he began to tell his story. "We got married pretty young-Meg was only fifteen, and she found out she was pregnant not too long after that. She always says I was too overprotective of her, but she's so important to me, I can't help it."

"He really loves you," Tiana commented, watching the screen intently. Meg smiled at her friend. "He's just a big softy," she said, even though inside her heart was fluttering incessantly as she listened to Hercules talk. "Meg was in labor with Hebe for two days, and those were the worst two days of my life. I could hear she was in pain, screaming, and I thought I was going to lose her," he said, twisting his ring around his finger as he recalled the memory.

"They finally let me in, and the sun had just come up, and there she was. Meg-she looked...exhausted, her hair was sticking to her face...but she had this smile...and she was holding our daughter...and, she'll make fun of me for telling you this, I cried. I was just so happy to see that she was okay, and we had this...this beautiful baby girl. And I was crying, and she just looked at me and said, 'Crying won't get you out of cleaning the house tonight'."

Genie and the audience burst out laughing at his story. "Oh, I love it! The lightning girl's so cheeky!" he said as the audience clapped and cheered. Hercules smiled. "She is. She's the strongest person I know. That's why she's going to win," he declared. Genie patted his shoulder. "Well, I know that these circumstances aren't the best, but I hope you two were able to enjoy your time together. Hercules Kalagaris!" The crowd cheered and everyone began to chant for him again, this time a new chant. "Thunder! Thunder! Thunder! Thunder!"

Meg felt tears come to her eyes. She had no idea that he remembered all of those little details. She wiped away a tear. "Are you all right?" Esmeralda asked. Meg nodded, sniffling. "I just...I didn't know he remembered all that," she said softly, staring at the screen. When he came offstage, Meg ran towards him. "Everybody back up!" Nala warned as the two reunited. The tributes all scooted away, some ducking as he spun her around.

"Wonderboy, I can't believe you-how-how did you-" Meg stuttered, not able to find the words. He smiled at her and ran his fingers through her hair absentmindedly. "I love you," he said simply. She smiled and kissed him passionately. They broke apart, their foreheads touching. "I can't believe you told them you cried," she teased him. He laughed. "I knew you wouldn't let that go!"

**Yay interviews! Up next is the prep, and then the actual games, so we're starting to get to the good parts!**

**Thank you to all of my reviewers! I hope that some more of you review as well :)**

**I hope you have a very Disney New Year! **


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey lovelies! I'm back, sorry it took a while. **

**Umm...so I'm just sorry about this chapter. I'm...I'm sorry. **

**Kind of an M chapter due to violence I guess, and some not at all graphic sexy times. You've been warned. **

They rode up to the penthouse with Snow and Phil, who were discussing a Cornucopia strategy. Apparently the arena would have a giant metal Cornucopia filled with necessary supplies: weapons, water, backpacks with supplies. The closer to the cornucopia you got, the nicer or more valuable the objects were. Of course, everyone would be going for them, which meant that a lot of people would die simply trying to grab supplies.

"Meg can't run in there," Hercules had stated flatly. "There'll be too many people, I have to keep track of her."

"So what, I just sit like a log and wait for grandma or prince flounder to put a spear through me?" Meg asked huffily. The tensions were running high now that the games were mere hours away. "Look, you'll be in different directions," Phil said. "They won't put you next to each other. So, Hercules, Meg, as soon as you're able to, get a lock on the other one's position. Hercules, go into the cornucopia as fast as you can, don't worry about Meg until you have your hands on some weapons, okay? Meg, they're gonna put some basic stuff further away-backpacks, canteens, survival stuff. Maybe a knife or two. Grab whatever you can put on your back, then go back to your spot and wait for Hercules. Once you two meet up, run like hell, you got it?"

They nodded. Snow looked thoroughly bored. "Well, you two were lovely tonight," she said as the elevator doors opened. "I was very pleased." She flitted into the room and immediately turned on the television to rewatch the interviews, exclaiming at the dresses and the hairstyles. Meg and Hercules looked at each other. "Good night," they said practically in unison as they went into Meg's room.

"Good night!" Snow replied, not really paying attention. "Did they just go into the same room, Phil?"

"Oh, loosen your corset, frosty," Phil said. "They're married."

"Well, they don't have to be so...callous about it."

Phil chuckled to himself as he went to his room. That Snow was something else...but that was the Capitol for you.

••••

"Get me out of this dress," Meg groaned, ripping the gold headpiece out of her hair. Hercules took off his jacket and loosened his tie. "You need help?" he asked. Meg nodded, and with one easy motion he pulled out the string tying the dress in place. Meg gasped in relief. "Oh, praise the gods, I didn't think I would ever be able to breathe again," she complained as she let the dress fall to the floor.

Hercules pulled off his tie and shirt roughly, leaving them crumpled in a heap on the ground. For a moment no one said anything. Then they both turned around. Hercules looked overwhelmed with emotion at the sight of his wife, looking so beautiful. He walked over to her and took her into his arms. "Meg, I just-I just want you to know-"

She put a hand to his mouth, silencing him. "Don't say it," she begged. "Kiss me." He obliged, kissing her with so much passion it left her lightheaded. They were both thinking that every kiss, every touch, every sensation could be their last. They could both die tomorrow. Meg gasped as the pair fell onto the bed. The kissing turned into something more, some strong burning desire. Before either of them could think, Meg's hands were fumbling with the belt around her husband's waist, and he was slipping her underwear over her legs.

They made love that night with fervor and love, passion and tenderness. It was the most wild intimacy they'd ever experienced, yet at the same time the most sweet. They felt an emotional connection so deep that it left them shaken down to their core, almost as if their souls had met at the point where their bodies connected and become one for the first time.

As they lay in bed, Meg suddenly became so full of emotion that she couldn't stand it. She stood up quickly, throwing on some frilly Capitol nightgown they had provided, and left without a word. She climbed the stairs that led from the penthouse to the roof and decided to sit. She pulled her knees to her chest and stared up at the sky. Suddenly a memory flooded over her: the memory of putting Hebe to sleep, just before Reaping Day. The moon had been out that night, so beautiful as it shone through the window to touch her daughter's face.

Hebe was already asleep by now. What was her little girl dreaming about? Did she remember her? Would she remember her father? Meg couldn't handle the pain. Not having Hebe was like someone had laid a ten pound weight on her heart. She knew losing Hercules would feel like someone had just shot her in the chest. She didn't think she would be able to bear it. She began to cry, big, gasping sobs that made her shudder when she drew breath.

"Meg?"

She didn't bother turning at the sound of Hercules' voice. "What's wrong?" he asked her concernedly, coming to sit next to her. She looked away from him. His voice sounded scared. "I didn't hurt you, did I?" he asked worriedly. She smiled through her tears. It was his constant fear, anytime they made love, his size being a problem. "No, you didn't hurt me," she reassured him. He looked less scared now. "Then, what's wrong?" he asked, taking her hand. She sighed.

"Somewhere, miles and miles away, our daughter is sleeping without us. And only one of us will ever see her again," she said, wiping away tears. "And I don't want to be in this world without you. I can't be." Hercules sighed and wrapped his arms around his wife, protecting her. "Oh, Meg," he said sadly. "You never will be. I promise, I will always be with you, even when I'm gone. I'll never leave you."

Meg clutched the fabric of his shirt like a life vest. "You promise?" she asked, tears flowing freely again. "Promise!" He kissed her cheek and they both looked up, watching a shooting star go by.

"I promise."

••••

They were woken up that morning, early, by Phil. His expression was grim. "Time to get ready," he said. The two showered and changed in utter silence. There was nothing else that could be said, really. They were about to get on a plane and fight for their lives.

The clothes were light but durable. Brown, slightly baggy pants, with thick black boots. They had black jackets with red stripes running down the sleeves, pulled over simple black shirts. Hercules prepared himself by stretching and doing some push ups while Meg pulled her long hair into a braid. "Time to go," Phil said, poking his head in the door.

Snow fussed over them like a mother sending her kids to school. "Here, I had the servants whip up some apple fritters and eggs for you," she said, shoving plates into their hands. "Eat up, all right? There's no telling when you'll eat again, who knows what's in that arena!" The two of them ate obediently, making sure to clean their plates. It was probably a good idea to have a full stomach, just in case.

Two peacekeepers knocked on the door to escort them to the plane. Snow burst into tears and kissed them both on the head. "You two are so brave!" she sobbed, dabbing at her eyes with a pink handkerchief. "So brave." Phil's goodbye was less ceremonial. "Don't embarass me out there." Neither of them had said a word all morning, and they didn't say one now. Meg hugged Snow and Herc shook Phil's hand, and then they were gone.

They held hands the whole way to the plane, up until the Peacekeepers forced them apart. They had to sit on opposite sides of the plane. Hercules sat next to Naveen, and Meg sat next to Tiana. The tributes couldn't even smile at each other, just grimly stare and wish they were somewhere else. Women dressed in white came and stuck needles in their arms, shooting something blue and glowing into their bodies. Milo Thatch looked at it curiously. "Trackers," he mumbled to himself, staring at his arm. So this was how they would keep track of everyone in that arena.

When the plane landed, each tribute was escorted by two peacekeepers into a little room underground. The arena was just above them. Meg's breath started coming in gulps. "Hey, lighting girl." She turned and saw Aladdin standing there with a smile. "Aladdin," she said with relief. She hugged him tightly. He returned the hug. "Let me take a look at what they gave you," he said, lifting a corner of her jacket.

"Hmm...it's light, waterproof and wind resistant. Probably not going to be a cold environment, but possibly one with a lot of humidity. Nothing too hot, either. This material will conduct heat. If I had to guess, I'd say a wooded or forest setting," he told her. Meg nodded, trying to soak it all in. Aladdin took something out of his pocket. "I made something for you to wear into the arena," he said. He displayed a beautiful locket. Meg opened it tentatively. Inside was a picture of her daughter. "We pulled her picture from the footage of your reaping," Aladdin explained in a low voice as Meg's eyes filled with tears. She looked intently at the picture of her baby girl, her little blue eyes and her sweet smile. "Make sure you keep it hidden." Meg was overwhelmed by his gesture. He put it on her, tucking it underneath her shirt. "I'm not allowed to bet," he said, taking her hand. "But if I could, I'd bet on you."

The peacekeepers came back. "Hey! Get her in the tube," one growled. Aladdin simply nodded and pointed Meg towards the large, clear cylinder standing in the middle of the room. She began walking towards it, every step sounding like a cannon blast to her. Once she was in the tube, she couldn't hear anything. She turned to Aladdin, terrified, but he just nodded at her as the tube began to rise.

Meg pulled herself together. She had to be brave. For Hebe. As the tube rose, she tried to adjust her eyes to the light flooding in. Once she was adjusted, she saw it. The arena. It was much larger than she'd thought. There was grass, and trees, and what looked like a river winding through. This wasn't a bad terrain. She could handle this. Then she noticed the cornucopia. There were indeed weapons close to the base of the metallic structure, but she was supposed to let Hercules handle those.

Hercules. Where was Hercules? She looked to her left and saw Jim Hawkins. She looked to her right and saw Pocahontas. Where was he? She looked around and saw him in between Milo and Phillip. They made eye contact. He nodded at her softly, mouthed 'I love you'. She smiled despite herself and mouthed 'I love you too'. A counter appeared over the cornucopia, with the number fifty.

And then the countdown began.

"Fifty. Forty Nine. Forty Eight. Forty Seven. Forty Six. Forty Five. Forty Four. Forty Three. Forty Two. Forty One. Forty. Thirty Nine. Thirty Eight. Thirty Seven."

The tributes all visibly tensed, and Meg crouched down, ready to run. If Hercules needed help, she had to be there, weak ankles or not.

"Thirty Six. Thirty Five."

She thought of Hebe.

"Thirty Four. Thirty Three."

Cinderella was saying a prayer.

"Thirty Two. Thirty One."

Milo nervously adjusted his glasses.

"Thirty. Twenty Nine. Twenty Eight."

Pocahontas was looking away from the cornucopia, at the trees.

"Twenty Seven. Twenty Six."

Phillip had his eyes on a gleaming broadsword.

"Twenty Five. Twenty Four."

Meg looked up briefly, knowing that her friends and family were watching on their screen in the square.

"Twenty Three. Twenty Two."

She hoped that Amphitryon and Alcmene didn't bring Hebe to watch. She didn't want her to see that.

"Twenty One. Twenty. Nineteen."

Kida narrowed her eyes.

"Eighteen. Seventeen. Sixteen."

Tiana looked like she had tears in her eyes.

"Fifteen. Fourteen. Thirteen."

Belle's breath started to hitch.

"Twelve. Eleven."

Merida got low to the ground, ready to run.

"Ten."

Hercules looked like he was ready to kill.

"Nine."

Simba bared his claws.

"Eight."

Adam zipped up his jacket and flexed.

"Seven."

James cracked his knuckles.

"Six."

Esmeralda crossed herself and muttered the name of the father.

"Five."

No one moved.

"Four."

Nala snarled.

"Three."

Silence.

"Two."

Meg looked at Hercules desperately, wanting to see his face. He nodded at her.

"One."

All the tributes leaped off their pads and began sprinting towards the cornucopia. Out of the corner of her eye, Meg could see Pocahontas running the opposite way, into the trees. She forced herself to focus in. Grab backpacks. She managed to reach a few and grabbed them all, throwing them over her shoulders like a crazy person, her heart beating like a cannon.

Hercules and the Careers reached the Cornucopia first. Merida was not far behind, but she had her eyes on one thing. She grabbed a bow and turned tail to run into the woods, bending to pick up a backpack as well. Phillip grabbed the first weapon he could find and ran out of the Cornucopia to greet the tributes that were scrambling around, trying to get their hands on something-anything.

Blood sprayed up in the air as Phillip swung his weapon. It hit Charming first, who fell to the ground with blood pouring from his chest. Phillip lifted his weapon and stabbed Charming two more times to make sure he was dead, blood beginning to cover the ground.

Aurora had grabbed a sword and was prowling for prey. She found it in Belle, who had stumbled and fallen while trying to run for a pack. Belle screamed at the sight of the career and tried to scoot away, her arms reaching out wildly for something to defend herself with, but it was pointless. Aurora grinned as she ran her sword straight through the helpless girl.

Meanwhile, Shang and Mulan were working together with deadly precision, each one with a curved scimitar in their hands. John Smith tried to run by and Shang swung the scimitar, catching the tribute in the throat. He went down instantly, gurgling horribly as his skin turned red.

As Jim Hawkins grabbed a pack and began to look through it quickly, Mulan ran up to him. She looked up at the sky and closed her eyes before stabbing the young boy directly in the back. He died quickly, Mulan pulling her sword out of his body and moving along.

The lions had had completely different strategies: Simba had run for the trees at the first chance, while Nala had run in to join the bloodbath. She knocked over Phoebus while he was running, pinning him underneath her with no hope of escape. He screamed horribly as she tore his throat out, thinking of no other quick way to dispose of him.

Suddenly Nala roared in pain as she was impaled with a spear. She collapsed, expiring, and Ariel came up and pulled the spear out of the lioness' body. Her expression was grim as she flipped the spear point up and moved off.

Kida had managed to grab a small knife, which she quickly used to pounce on Naveen. She slit his throat and he crumpled to the floor right in front of Tiana. Her eyes widened, then narrowed. She tightened her grip on the sword in her hand and lunged at Kida. The two fought for a while, struggling to get the upper hand, before finally Tiana drove her sword into Kida's chest.

She pushed the dead girl off of her, took a horrified look at Naveen, and ran off into the woods.

Cinderella had been hiding behind her landing pad, but she now decided to make a run for it. She made it all the way to the edge of the Cornucopia, ducking and weaving as the tributes fought each other. It looked like she would have a chance. Until Mulan turned the corner and saw her. She sighed at the sight of the frightened girl. "I'm sorry," she said as she raised her sword. Cinderella closed her eyes and prayed up until the sword rammed into her stomach and she could no longer speak.

At the mouth of the cornucopia, the fighting was still thick. Hercules was mostly using his hands to fight people off, although he had several deadly weapons slung over his shoulders. Milo Thatch tried to sneak out of the metal structure with a small knife and a pack, but was met instead with Phillip's sword opening his throat. The force of the blow knocked the little boy back. He lay on top of a pile of boxes, his blood dripping onto them and the weapons. His glasses were broken on the floor.

All this happened within ten minutes, but to Meg it felt like an eternity and a blur. As tributes raced past her she frantically searched for Hercules. She saw dead bodies all around the field, blood running freely, and became even more worried. She had to go help him. She was going. She was going to go help him, he needed her-

Suddenly a knife whizzed past her. She jumped away and saw the thrower, Adam. He snarled and began running towards her, another knife in his hand. Meg panicked. She took off one of the packs and hit him with it before he could knock her over. The knife in his hands went flying, but it didn't deter him. He slammed into her. Meg felt the wind leave her body as she hit the ground with a thud. She struggled to get him off of her, but he was much too strong.

His hands wrapped around her neck and began to squeeze. Meg still fought with everything she had, but she could feel her strength leaving her. The pressure continued. She could see stars begin to dance behind her eyes. She thought that meant she was dying. She would never see Hercules again...

The pressure lifted all of a sudden, and Meg's vision returned as a rush of air flooded into her lungs. She gasped, feeling more of that amazing life giving oxygen going into her body. When she looked up Hercules was struggling with Adam. Finally Hercules punched him in the face hard enough to make him hit the ground. While Adam groaned, Hercules lifted Meg up without a word.

"Come on!" He yelled over the sound of clashing swords, picking Meg up and putting her on his back. She would protest, but she still felt dizzy from the lack of air, so she simply wrapped her arms around his shoulders and her legs around his waist. Then he took off running, faster than Meg ever could even with another person on his back. They left the screams and the smell of blood behind them.

They disappeared into the trees. It looked like a standard forest. Hercules wouldn't stop running until he felt far enough away from the other tributes, as running into a tribute meant a fight. Meg spent the time observing the land around them. There were plenty of tall trees they could hide in, water from the river, and little animals running around that they could easily set traps for.

After a lot of running, they finally stopped. Hercules set Meg down and went off to check the surrounding areas. While he did that, Meg decided to look inside these packs she had grabbed. Hopefully there'd be something useful. Inside the first one was a canteen, rope, and a small net. Not much, but it would be helpful for the river if they ever needed to catch fish. The second one was more helpful, as it had actual food, little protein bars that Phil would give them at training. It also held a tiny rollable blanket. Good thing they'd only need one. Meg opened the third and was surprised to see four throwing knifes, surrounded by tiny packs of clear liquid. Inspecting the label, she saw it was very basic medicine for open wounds.

Hercules trudged back. "I checked all around us and it looks like we're safe here," he said, throwing his sword down. He took the other weapons off of his back. "I grabbed whatever I could. There's swords, spears. No knifes, though." Meg smiled and held up the backpack she was holding. "I got that covered," she said. Hercules cracked a small smile too when he saw it. "Lucky us."

He sat, and the two simply stared at each other. They kissed, sweetly and passionately but quickly, because now they had to be completely focused. Their first challenge was over-they'd made it through the bloodbath unscathed. Now they just had to make it another thirteen days. "I was so worried about you," Meg murmured, afraid to even talk too loudly. "Well, I was worried about you," he replied. They were talking so lowly that they were inches away from each other, their foreheads touching.

A cannon blast made Meg jump before she remembered that a cannon meant a fallen tribute. She began to listen closely, as did Hercules. Again and again it sounded. "Ten," Hercules said finally. "Ten is good," Meg replied, hugging her arms. "That only leaves fourteen." They sat in silence for another moment. Then Meg spoke again. "I wonder who it was that died."

Hercules kissed the top of her head. "Try not to think about it," he told her. "Just think that we're ten people closer to our baby girl." Her hands went to her locket and she nodded. She couldn't cry for these people. She needed to get moving. She stood and picked up the net, moving down to the river. "We should eat before it gets dark so the fire won't give away our position," she said. "You start one, I'll get the food." Hercules nodded and began ripping branches off trees. Meg rolled her eyes at his strength and waded into the river.

Catching fish proved to be more difficult than she thought. It took her an hour to catch enough fish for a decent meal. She scaled and skinned them with a knife, then handed them to Hercules, who stuck them on a stick and cooked them over a low fire. They worked well together, nothing needing to be said between them. When it got dark, they held each other and leaned against the tree to watch the projection of the fallen tributes from the Bloodbath.

Milo Thatch, Three. Kida Kagash, Three. That put District Three out of the running now.

James Hawkins, Five.

Phoebus Sun, Six.

Belle O'Hara, Seven.

James Charming, Eight. Cinderella Tremaine, Eight. So much for that District.

John Smith, Nine.

Nala Pride, Ten.

Naveen Putto, Eleven.

Meg was relieved to see that Tiana was still alive. She would hate to see her die. As far as threats...the careers were the biggest ones. All six of them were still alive, and in a strong alliance. Merida was in the forest. She had some skill with a bow, so she could be a problem. And one of those lions...Meg didn't want to think about it. She stomped out the rest of the embers from the fire.

"I'll take the first shift," Hercules said, taking a sword and standing by a tree. Meg sighed and curled up in the little blanket. She knew 'first shift' meant that he would stay up all night if he didn't want to disturb her. She'd have to make sure to take care of him.

They had thirteen more days of this fight.

**Sorry. If you liked it, review and let me know!**

**If you hated it, review anyways. **


	8. Chapter 8

**I'm back! I had hoped to update more ****regularly but some personal issues got in the way of reviewing. Thank you to the awesome and very sweet megara2001, who got me off my butt to post this for you guys! **

**Hope you enjoy!**

Meg woke up groggily, and for a second forgot where she was. Then the screams reminded her. She sat up. Sunlight filtered through the trees, and the ashes from the fire had stopped smoking. Then she saw Hercules still slumped against the tree.

"Wonderboy," she said with a frown. "Have you been up all night?" He turned to look at her and one look at his red eyes confirmed what she thought. She stood with a huff. "You're going to sleep right now," she said firmly. He shook his head. "I'm fine," he said. Meg sighed and walked over to him. "Listen, if we want to win I need you fully operational, Muscles," she said as she took his hand. "No," he mumbled. "I needta protect you, Meg..."

"You're not protecting anyone in this condition," Meg said as she led him over by the blanket. "I'll watch the camp. Just sleep, okay?" She gently tucked the blanket around him, letting him rest his head in her lap. "Meg," he mumbled. "Shh," she shushed him gently as she ran her fingers through his hair. He tried to protest again, but he fell asleep before he could.

Meg smiled. What a softie he was. The orange sunlight shone on his face and he looked like a sleeping angel. Her angel. She had never felt more lucky to have him in her life, this man who would give anything for her, who would-who wanted to-die for her. Meg kissed the top of his head as he slept and he smiled softly. She sat there, peacefully, watching him sleep, for what seemed like an eternity, and she reveled in every moment that she got to spend with him. In thirteen days, he planned to be dead. Every second with him was so precious now, Meg was determined not to waste it.

Suddenly a rustle in the trees snapped her out of her happy place. She looked up and reached for a knife, grabbing it. The rustling grew louder. Meg prepared for a fight. Then she saw Pocahontas step out. She lowered her weapon as she saw the girl's eyes widen with fear. The two stared at each other for a moment, communicating with their eyes: I won't hurt you if you won't hurt me.

Pocahontas' eyes flickered towards the sleeping form of Meg's husband, and her eyes softened as she took in Meg's fingers in her husband's orange hair, his head in her lap, their intertwined hands. She smiled at Meg and nodded before turning and racing off again. Meg let out a breath she had no idea she'd been holding on to and kissed her husband's cheek softly. They were going to make it through this. They had a real chance.

••••

Hercules woke up hours later. He saw Meg's face smiling down at him and smiled back. "Hi," he mumbled, rubbing his eyes. "Hi," she replied. "Feel better?" He nodded, sitting up and stretching. Meg stood as well and began to throw the packs on her back. "We should keep moving. Someone already knows we're here, the Careers can probably find us too."

"Someone was here?" Hercules said, alarm in his voice."Pocahontas. The girl from nine," Meg said. "She didn't want to hurt me. I think she just wants to hide until it's all over." Hercules still looked concerned, but he simply nodded and began picking up their weapons. "We should stick to the river," he said. Meg nodded and the two of them began to walk along the bank.

They walked for what seemed like hours, staying as close to the river as possible. Suddenly they came to a giant rocky cliff and decided they'd better walk along it instead of over it. Meg knew there were cameras everywhere and passed the time wondering where they could be. In a tree? On the ground? Maybe a bird was a camera. Finally they decided to make camp. Hercules set down the weapons and Meg started to gather sticks for a trap and for a small fire.

"Meg," Hercules said, looking at something in the distance. "What?" Meg asked. "Do you see something up ahead?" She walked over to see if she could. It looked like a wall of something, and it was moving. Meg's eyes widened as she realized it was a huge avalanche of boulders rolling down the hill. One of those could easily crush the two of them. "Hercules, pick up the weapons, now!" she said, throwing the bags over her shoulder as fast as she could. His eyes widened as he realized what was coming towards them and picking up speed. She'd never seen him move so quickly. "Run!" he yelled. "Run!"

They began to sprint away, dodging through the trees. Meg could feel her heartbeat in her ears. She could barely see and it would be a wonder if she didn't hit a tree. As she leaped around trees and through branches, another tree suddenly came up out of nowhere and fell in front of them. Before they could stop, they had both tripped over the gigantic tree and went flying.

Meg screamed as she and Hercules tumbled down what felt like a large hill with no signs of stopping anytime soon. She could still hear the rumbling of boulders behind her and hoped that they were at least moving faster than the rockslide was. Just when it seemed like they would keep falling forever, they rolled over a small cliff and went flying. Meg couldn't see what was underneath them, but she prayed it was something that wouldn't kill them on impact. They both landed in the river with a splash.

Meg sat up and looked around to see what had happened to the rockslide, but it looked like the rocks had disappeared. She looked at Hercules, who was soaking wet and bruised. "You okay?" he asked. Meg nodded, looking down at her arm. She had a sizable gash there, probably from a tree, but it didn't hurt very much. "Just a little scratch. How about you?" He nodded once and scooted closer to her.

"This doesn't look like a scratch," he said worriedly, picking up her arm. Meg was about to respond when she heard shouts. "There they are! There!" They both looked up and saw the pack of Careers headed for them, laughing. Hercules pulled out a sword and stood. "Meg, go into the woods. Climb a tree, stay out of sight. Now," he said in a low voice. Meg stood too, shaking her head. "If they split us up, it'll be easier for them to take us out. We're better together," she insisted, pulling out a knife and twirling it in her hands. Hercules sighed.

The Careers looked arrogant and relatively unscathed. Meg began looking at the ones she could take out. The most dangerous was probably Li Shang, but his reflexes were too good. Maybe the Fours. "We've been looking for you," Phillip said with a smirk as they surrounded the pair. "The little lovebirds. You'll be together in heaven," Aurora mocked. Hercules didn't respond, simply tightened his grip on the sword in his hands. "Who wants her?" Phillip asked lazily, turning his sword over in his hands. "I do, I do!" Ariel said with a giggle, her deadly spear already poised in her hand. Phillip nodded.

Ariel circled the pair, looking for a good angle to hit Meg with. Meg flipped the knife. If Ariel moved a few more feet, she'd have her. Hercules had his eyes trained on Ariel. Meg knew he was trying to keep her alive by killing Ariel. But...that would leave him totally unguarded. While Hercules stared at Ariel, Meg turned her head just enough to see Eric sneaking close with a sword in Herc's blind spot. She couldn't let Hercules get hurt. Eric lifted his sword and charged, and Meg spun around and released her knife with deadly precision.

He fell backwards into the water as the knife slammed into his chest. "Eric!" Ariel cried, her hunt forgotten. She ran over to him with the rest of the careers. The cannon sounded. "Come on, now," Meg told Herc as Ariel wept over her fellow tribute. They began to run towards the trees. Behind her, Meg could hear Ariel's angry voice. "You're dead, bitch! You are dead!"

They ran and ran. She could hear the career pack running after them, and it sounded like they were gaining. She knew that they would catch her first-she couldn't run half as fast as Hercules could. "Herc, climb a tree!" she yelled at him. "Or hide! We can't outrun five of them!" His response was to pick up Meg and practically throw her up a tree. She fought the urge to scream as she clung to a branch. Hercules jumped into the tree next to hers and they both climbed as high as they could. Now they had to hope the careers weren't good at climbing trees.

When she was so high that she'd throw up if she went any further, Meg dared to look down. The pack was clustered around the tree she was in. "Hey, thunder god," Phillip mocked. "How much of a god will you be when we kill your sweetie over here?" He began to climb Meg's tree, doing pretty well. When he got close enough he reached for her ankle. Meg kicked him in the face and he fell, hitting the ground heavily. "This little bitch is asking for it," he snarled, holding his bloody nose.

"Let me," Ariel said, angrily throwing her spear. Meg clung tightly to the tree and watched it sail past her. "Maybe you should throw a sword," she mocked them. "You can't stay up there forever! We'll be waiting when you do!" Phillip warned. Meg looked over at Hercules in the next tree. He had a dark expression on his face. Meg relaxed her muscles enough to get comfortable. They would be in these trees for a while.

••••

It was the middle of the night and the careers were all asleep, without any kind of guard. Pretty stupid of them, really. Meg and Hercules slowly began to climb down from the trees. When they reached the bottom, Hercules grabbed a sword. Meg stopped him. "If you kill one, you'll wake the rest," she whispered. He glowered and nodded.

Aurora yawned and opened her eyes. "You little-" she hissed, reaching for her weapon. Meg picked up her knife and cut the girl's throat before she could cause any damage. Hercules looked at her incredulously. "What happened to if we kill one-" Meg rolled her eyes. "Go, now. Now," she whispered to Hercules, hoping that the cannon blast wouldn't fire until they were far enough away to be in the clear. They began to run away, and as they did they heard the cannon.

Hercules picked his wife up and sprinted for safety. "NO!" someone bellowed behind them. Meg knew without looking that the careers had discovered Aurora. She shut her eyes, trying to block out the sounds of pain. She couldn't believe that she had killed people today. Her hand went to her locket and she remembered why she had to win. She wasn't going to waste time thinking about the people whose time was up.

They stopped in a clearing that was surrounded by thick trees and Hercules set Meg down. "Well," he said with a little smile. "I think I underestimated you, killer. You took out two careers today." Meg rolled her eyes. "I just did what I had to," she said, her hand on her locket. Hercules kissed her gently. "You were amazing," he told her. "I think that we can even split up if we ever need to."

"As long as we find each other again," Meg said, taking his hand. He grinned. "Always." They kissed, and Meg heard the whirring of a hidden camera, but she couldn't care less. She loved him so much it was like a fire in her soul. They finally broke apart, smiling at each other. Herc was blushing. "Well, I-I-I'd better go and, uh, check the-the-" he stammered, standing up quickly. Meg laughed. "Are you always this articulate?"

Suddenly the Disney anthem came on. They both turned to look at the fallen.

Aurora Rose, One.

Eric Fishman, Four.

That put the dead up to twelve. Half of the tributes had been eliminated in two days. Hercules smiled at that. "Two kills today and my wife got them both," he bragged playfully. Meg rolled her eyes. "You are so dumb, you know that?"

He stuck his tongue out at her and leaned against a tree to take the first watch. Meg lay down on the leaves comfortably. "If you don't wake me up and get some sleep, Hercules Kalagaris, I'll kill you myself," she warned him. The last thing she heard was his chuckle.

**Okay, in case you need a refresher, the dead are:**

**Aurora, Milo, Kida, Eric, Jim, Phoebus, Belle, Charming, Cinderella, John Smith, Nala and Naveen.**

**Sad to see them go (but a lot less characters to keep track of!) **

**I hope that even if I killed your favorite you'll stick with me! It's still anybody's game. **

**Leave me a review and tell me what you think!**


End file.
